Toronto police are appealing for witnesses after a 25-year-old man was gunned down in a North York parking lot where he was chatting with friends early this morning.

Toronto police were dispatched to a building on Driftwood Avenue near Jane Street at around 3:20 a.m. after several people called 911 to report a shooting.

Officers and paramedics found a young man suffering from obvious signs of trauma. Despite efforts to revive him, he was pronounced dead.

On Sunday evening police identified the victim as 25-year-old Karim Hirani of Toronto.

Speaking with reporters, Det.-Sgt. Mike Carbone said Hirani was drinking with friends when he was gunned down in what is believed to have been a targeted attack.

“We have now learned that sometime around 3:20 Mr. Hirani was in the company of two individuals and attended the building located at 415 Driftwood Avenue,” Carbone said. “It appears the three men purchased some alcohol and commenced drinking in the courtyard very near to the pedestrian bridge.”

Carbone said that at the same time, an unknown male parked his vehicle in the eastern parking lot of the building, walked towards the men and then shot the victim.

The suspect – described only as a black male in his mid-20s who was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and dark pants – then got back in his vehicle and drove off, Carbone said. He said it appears that the suspect was working alone.

Carbone added that while he doesn’t believe the victim and suspect knew each other, the killing appears to have been targeted.

“The motive for this shooting is unknown at this time and we‘re appealing to witnesses who may be able to supply us with some information,” Carbone said.

In particular, he said investigators are interested in speaking with one of the males who was with Hirani at the time of the shooting.

Carbone said the shooting took place on a warm night when people would have been out enjoying the warm weather and he urged any possible witnesses to come forward.

“It was quite warm during the night. We know people were out on their balconies at that building, people were walking home from a variety of different places they were at,” Carbone said. “We’re certainly interested in speaking to anyone who may have seen the deceased and his friends or had any contact with them shortly before the homicide.”

An autopsy is scheduled to take place within the next few days.

Police are asking anyone with information about the shooting to come forward.