Flickering white candles sat in front of a Scarborough barbershop on Friday evening as community members held a vigil for a popular local barber.

During the memorial for Chris Thompson, a 35-year-old barber gunned down at work, speakers rallied for non-violence and a safer community.

"If we don't advocate for stronger police presence…people will always think they have liberty to come and do that which they want," one woman told the crowd of mourners.

Bouquets of flowers lined the sidewalk in front of Cut Creators barber shop at 21 Tapscott Rd., where the father of two was gunned down last Tuesday afternoon.

Thompson was fatally shot while cutting a customer's hair at the shop shortly before 1 p.m. on Tuesday.

Police say one suspect opened fire on Thompson as patrons and other employees sat nearby.

"I'm very traumatized right now," one woman told the crowd. "But I want to assure the people here that we're not going to abandon or forget."

Earlier on Friday, Thompson's cousin Charm Marsh encouraged the still-unidentified gunman to attend the vigil to see "the negative impact that you have done to our family."

Homicide detectives released security camera footage of the incident during a press conference earlier this week.

The footage shows a man walking to the shop's front door, placing a duffel bag on the ground and removing a shotgun. Moments later, it shows him emerging from the shop and fleeing towards McLevin Avenue.

Police said the suspect may have had an accomplice and are hoping the footage will lead to a break in the case.

While detectives search for answers, members of Thompson's Malvern community push for a more peaceful future.

"Tonight we are here showing that as a whole community we can come out and we can let the world know we are standing for good," said a man addressing the vigil attendees.

A trust fund has been set up for the victim's family:

Scotiabank account # 71332 0123714

Organization Administering the account is TAIBU Community Health Centre

27 Tapscott Rd. Unit 1

Contact: 416 644 3539 info@taibuchc.ca