An armed suspect is still on the loose after a young man was gunned down in broad daylight Wednesday, just outside a high school in the Malvern community.
Despite a thorough search by dozens of Toronto police officers, tracking dogs and the Emergency Task Force squad, authorities have still not caught up with a man they believe pulled the trigger.
The victim, who police have not identified, was shot several times in the chest while he was in the vicinity of Sewells Road and McLevin Avenue in east Toronto. Witnesses told police they heard about six shots fired at about 10:30 Wednesday morning.
He was rushed to Centenary Hospital but was pronounced dead. The victim is believed to be about 20 years old. He lived in Malvern and was known to police, an official said.
One construction worker who was working in the area said he saw the victim speaking to a man moments before he was shot.
"They were walking on that side going up and by the time I parked my truck I heard 'pow, pow, pow'," he said.
Watch CTV chopper footage from the scene
Toronto police Insp. Dave Brown said several witnesses to the shooting have been brought in to 42 Division to be questioned by police.
While early reports suggested it was a drive-by shooting, Brown said a suspect was walking on the street when he opened fire. He fled the scene on foot.
"I would think the person is a coward for shooting someone in cold blood," said Det. Sgt. Dan Sheppard with the Toronto police homicide squad. "It's careless and puts a lot of people in jeopardy. It's a busy intersection."
Schools locked down
The shooting took place outside Blessed Mother Teresa Catholic Secondary School. Students and staff at the school, as well as 15 other schools in the area, were placed under lockdown while police canvassed the area for the suspect. The lockdown was lifted at about 2:30 p.m.
Brown said authorities don't believe the victim was a student at the school.
"The shooting has nothing to do with the students or the school itself," he told reporters at the scene.
Parents gathered outside the high school, anxious to speak with their children inside. They were relieved when they heard everyone inside was safe but one mother said she wouldn't feel better until she spoke to her son.
"I want to know what's going on," she said. "I have a son and I want to know that he's okay. He's 14 you know? Oh gosh."
Many students who had access to cell phones used them to call family and friends to let them know they were okay.
"Stuff happens in Malvern, there have been a lot of lockdowns," said one female student. "But nothing as serious as this."
This is the third lockdown in the past school year at Blessed Mother Theresa. One was in November when shots were fired in the neighbourhood and the other was in December when there was a robbery at a local store.
Malvern's gang history
Scarborough's Malvern community has had its share of gun violence in the past.
Police swept down on the Scarborough-based gang known as the "Malvern Crew" on May 12, 2004. Sixty-five people were arrested and more than 500 charges laid in an operation dubbed "Project Impact."
Twenty-eight firearms were seized, along with drugs such as ecstasy, marijuana, cocaine and hashish.
Authorities say the community has been relatively quiet since the raids.
"Our investigation has certainly not uncovered at this point that there's something brewing in the neighbourhood," Det. Sgt. Sheppard said.
But on Wednesday police said they are certain this latest shooting victim was targeted.
"(Police) said they took the guns off the roads but they're still out here," said one local resident who didn't give his name. "In the middle of the day it's very scary when we have to work in that environment."
Police are searching for one suspect described as:
- black
- about 5'7"
- late teens, early twenties
- wearing dark, baggy clothing
Anyone with information is being asked to call homicide detectives at 416-808-7400 or Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS.
With reports from CTV Toronto correspondents, Austin Delaney, John Musselman and Matet Nebres
