Security guard critically injured in shooting outside Drake's Toronto mansion
A security guard working at Drake’s Bridle Path mansion in Toronto was critically injured in a shooting outside the residence early Tuesday morning, police said.
Police tape and patrol cars could be seen at the rap superstar’s sprawling home near Park Lane Circle and Post Road.
Emergency crews were called to the area at approximately 2:09 a.m. for reports of a shooting.
The victim, an adult male, sustained life-threatening injuries in the shooting and was rushed to hospital, where he remains. Police initially said his injuries were serious, but later described them as life-threatening. He was standing outside of the home’s front gates when shots were fired from a vehicle which then fled the scene, police said.
Police could not say whether Drake was home at the time of the shooting.
Insp. Paul Krawczyk told reporters at the scene that the suspect, or suspects, involved in the shooting fled the scene in a vehicle, the description of which has not been released by police. Investigators are currently reviewing video footage of the incident, he said.
Toronto Police investigate a crime scene outside the mansion of Canadian rap mogul Drake in Toronto's Bridle Path neighbourhood, Tuesday, May 7, 2024. Paramedics said a security guard working outside the home was taken to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries in an overnight shooting. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Nathan Denette
Police are in contact with Drake’s team and Krawczyk said they are cooperating with the investigation.
The shooting comes amid an escalating rap beef with Los Angeles rapper Kendrick Lamar. Drake and Lamar released a number of diss tracks aimed at each other over the weekend, which included unsubstantiated allegations and personal insults.
One of the tracks released by Lamar, titled “Not Like Us,” features a Google Maps image of Drake's Bridle Path mansion.
Asked about a possible link between the shooting and the recent war-of-words, Krawczyk said it’s too early to tell if there is a connection.
“It is so early in the investigation that we don't have a motive at this time,” he said.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow was asked about the shooting at an unrelated news conference Tuesday morning and said that “any shooting” in the city is not welcome.
“I hope the police will find the people that are violating the law and catch them,” she said.
IN PHOTOS: Police investigate shooting outside Drake's Toronto home
Krawczyk said there will be an increased police presence in the area as an investigation gets underway, but no more than any other time a firearm is discharged in the city.
"This is no different than any other investigation," he said. "It's maybe more high-profile because there's more people here but we treat it like any other incident."
Police are asking anyone with information to reach out to investigators. They are asking anybody who has photos or video of the suspect(s) or suspect vehicle to upload them to an evidence portal for the investigation.
Police tape is shown outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion on May 7, 2024. (CTV News Toronto)
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
House of Commons Speaker Greg Fergus survives vote calling for his ouster
Greg Fergus survived a vote to oust him as House of Commons Speaker on Tuesday, but with close to half of MPs expressing a loss of confidence in him, he faces a precarious path forward in maintaining order in Parliament.
'It was hell': Israeli mother held hostage with her children describes 51 days in captivity
Hagar Brodutch, her three children and four-year-old neighbour were kidnapped by Hamas-led militants from their home in Kfar Aza, Israel on Oct. 7 and held for 51 days. They were released in November, but Brodutch says her thoughts are never far from those still being held in Gaza.
'Unruly passenger' forces WestJet flight to make emergency landing in B.C.
A WestJet flight heading to Calgary had to make an emergency landing in northern B.C. Monday due to an incident involving an 'unruly passenger,' Mounties say.
P.E.I. kiteboarder 'lucky to be alive' after shark attack in Turks and Caicos
A professional kiteboarder from P.E.I. says he has been seriously injured in a shark attack that occurred while he was snorkelling in the Turks and Caicos Islands last week.
Teen dies after being hit by train in N.W. Calgary
A teenager has died after being hit by a train in northwest Calgary on Tuesday afternoon.
Black bear kebabs make family sick with parasitic worms
It was supposed to be a celebration, but one family’s unique meal of black bear meat sent several members to the hospital instead.
'It's his vacation too': Jimmy the baby goat joins 2-week road trip across Canada
After Jimmy the baby goat was shunned by his mother, a New Brunswick man took the kid on a two-week road trip across Canada.
The double-level airplane seat is back. This time, there’s a first-class version
It’s the airplane seat design that launched a thousand memes and kickstarted a media storm. And now the double-level seat is back – only this time, with a twist.
New COVID-19 subvariants become the dominant strains in Canada
More than four years after COVID-19 effectively shut down the world, two new variants of COVID-19 have become the dominant strains of the novel coronavirus in Canada.