There have been more than 280 victims of gun violence in Toronto in 2015, up 77 per cent from this time last year, according to newly-released police data.
Statistics released Monday showed 286 people were victims of gun violence as of Sept. 21. In 2014, there were 162 victims of gun violence recorded by the same time September.
The data, updated after two masked gunmen opened fire in an upscale Toronto steakhouse, shows 180 shooting occurrences (when someone is shot or shot at) so far in 2015. Last year, there were 131 by this time, and there were 160 by the same time in September, 2013.
In August, Deputy Police Chief Peter Sloly confirmed there has been an "uptick" in shootings throughout 2015.
Sloly said the number of shootings in 2015 has been "on par with 2012." That year saw fatal shootings at the Eaton Centre and at a barbeque on Danzig Street, and earned the nickname "Summer of the Gun." As of Monday, there were exactly the same number of shootings in 2015 as 2012.
Victims were injured or killed in 65 per cent of the 180 shootings. Data shows 17 fatal shootings so far in 2015, down 10 per cent from this time last year. In 100 shootings, at least one victim was injured, up nearly 80 per cent 2014, when only 56 shootings resulted in injuries.
Police said there were 125 shootings without injury, up 594 per cent from the 18 injury-free shootings this time last year.
The total number of shooting occurrences was 180 at the end of last year, the same number as 2015's year-to-date occurrences. However, there was an 11 per cent dip in occurrences in 2014 compared with 2013. The average number of shootings per year between 2011 and 2014 is 205.5.
Number of fatal stabbings up 86 per cent
Monday's statistics on year-to-date homicides showed 13 people have died in stabbings, three fewer than have died in shootings this year.
The number of fatal stabbings in Toronto is up nearly 86 per cent from September, 2014, when seven people were fatally stabbed.
There were 15 fatal stabbings by the end of 2014, compared to 14 in 2013, nine in 2012, and seven in 2011.
