The Peel Regional Police Chief is calling for more government support to combat gun violence, as investigators continue to probe the region's worst mass shooting in history.
Chief Chris McCord confirmed that 136 shell casings were found littered all over the parking lot and parkette behind 7230 Darcel Avenue in Mississauga Saturday evening.
Six innocent bystanders were hit by the gunfire, including 17-year-old Jonathan Davis, who was pronounced dead at the scene.
Jonathan Davis, 17, was fatally shot after gunfire erupted behind a apartment complex in Mississauga Saturday evening. (CTV News Toronto)
All seven shooters remain at large, and were armed with semi-automatic guns that had over-capacity magazines. "All of them were armed with different caliber guns at the time," McCord said.
In a one-on-one interview with CTV News Toronto's Tracy Tong, the police chief says investigators are looking into a rap music video they believe could be behind the motive for the mass shooting.
"You can clearly see in the rap video that it is that particular building that's in the background, and that is the backdrop for the video," Chief McCord said.
"Then on that particular evening, it is clear from what is left behind, that people were planning on doing another video there or preparing to do one."
Residents and building management at the Darcel apartment complex confirm to CTV News Toronto that there have been multiple complaints and calls to police about the filming of rap music videos in the last few months.
Police investigate after the fatal shooing. (CTV News Toronto)
Chief McCord calls the Darcel shooting an "isolated incident," but says it speaks to a larger issue of gun violence in Peel Region that requires more support from different levels of government.
"Over the last few months you've heard support for combatting the gun violence that's happening in Toronto. When it comes to the Greater Toronto Area, there are no borders. The borders between Toronto and Peel to gang members do not exist."
The Ontario and Canadian governments announced a $65-million plan on August 26th to support police, prosecutors and justice partners in the local fight against guns and gangs across the province.
In a statement, a spokesperson for Attorney General Doug Downey said "We know criminals do not respect geographical boundaries.”
“That is why we are fighting illegal guns and gangs in the Peel Region and across the GTA and Greater Golden Horseshoe through the establishment of a GTA/Greater Golden Horseshoe (GGH) Gun and Gang Fund that will support joint forces operations that target organized crime areas that fuel gang operations, such a drug, gun and human trafficking, and provide intelligence analysis."
