Toronto police are searching for multiple suspects after a shootout at a plaza near Highway 400 turned into a head-on crash on Tuesday morning.
The series of events first began at a plaza near Jane Street, south of Highway 400, where police say two groups of males became involved in some sort of dispute.
“That dispute escalated into both groups pulling out firearms and began shooting at each other,” Insp. Darren Alldrit said.
Numerous gunshots were fired before one of the two groups got into a vehicle and tried to escape. As they pulled on to Jane Street, police said the suspects clipped a passing vehicle and then slammed head-on into another, causing their vehicle to become disabled.
The suspects then fled on foot. The other group fled in another vehicle.
At this point, police are looking for four to five males who were all dressed in dark clothing.
“At this time we have not located any suspects,” Alldrit said.
“We have recovered one firearm but there is at least one still outstanding.”
While no one was hurt as a result of the shooting, one person was located by responding officers at the scene suffering from minor injuries believed to be related to the crash.
“It’s a very brazen incident,” he said. “[It was the] middle of the day… Lots of people around, lots of vehicles.”
Chaminade College School on Queens Drive was placed in hold and secure while officers conducted the investigation. Some TTC routes were also on diversion in the area.
Alldrit said an “extensive” search is underway that involves a police canine unit and a number of officers.
Investigators will canvass the area, looking for witnesses and any relevant video surveillance from the plaza where the shooting first happened and from the vicinity where the crash occurred.
“I understand there is video in the area. I would ask that anybody in the public that has dashcam video to come forward to us, because that’s important to our investigation,” Alldrit said.
Anyone who has information about the incident is being asked to contact Toronto police or Crime Stoppers anonymously.