No injuries reported, suspect vehicle located after two tow trucks shot at in Scarborough

Toronto police are investigating after two tow trucks were shot at in Scarborough Wednesday afternoon.

Police said the incident occurred in the parking lot of a plaza near Steeles Avenue East and Markham Road shortly after 3:30 p.m.

Someone from a dark-coloured vehicle fired shots at two tow trucks and fled the scene, police said.

No one was injured in the incident. Police said they located evidence of gunfire as well as the vehicle suspected to be involved.

However, no arrests have been made and no suspect descriptions have been released.

It is the latest violent incident involving tow trucks in Toronto, with three others occurring over the weekend.

On Saturday, around 8 p.m., police said shots were fired from a vehicle at a tow truck near Markham Road and Highway 401. 

Dashcam video obtained by CTV News Toronto shows someone in the rear passenger of a dark-coloured car firing shots at a white pickup with a tow company’s decals while travelling north on Markham Road. “Yo, someone shot my car,” the truck driver says on his radio.

A still from the dashcam footage can be seen above.

More than two hours later, about three kilometres away in the area of Markham Road and Finch Avenue East, officers responded to a similar incident.

In both cases, police said the drivers were in their trucks when gunfire erupted, but no one was injured.

The next day, at 5 p.m. in the Kennedy Road and Munham Gate area, police located a person suffering from minor injuries after another shooting involving a tow truck.

Surveillance video shows a white pickup truck travelling beside a white SUV on Kennedy Road. The pickup suddenly stops in the middle of the road while the SUV drives off. In another footage, the driver of the truck is seen climbing out injured.

Police have not said if the incidents were connected but said they are investigating.

“Members of the public have the right to decide who tows their vehicle and where it is towed. If possible, drivers should request a destination of their own choosing to the tow operator,” police said in a statement on Monday.

“Anyone with concerns about illegally operating tow trucks can report them to the City of Toronto via 311. If the driver has committed a criminal offence this should be reported to police, and if it’s an emergency, should contact 911. Toronto Police continue to work with our law enforcement partners to disrupt these groups.”

With files from CTV News Toronto reporter Jon Woodward