Peel Regional Police say that two shooting incidents which left two men dead in Brampton early Sunday appear to be both targeted and related to one another.
The shootings occurred in the early hours of Sunday morning.
At around 12:40 a.m., emergency crews were called to the area of Vodden Street East and Kennedy Road North for reports of gunshots.
Peel Regional Paramedic Services said they transported two people to a trauma centre from the scene – a male with critical injuries and a female with serious injuries. Officers said both victims were believed to be in their late 20s.
At around 8 a.m., Peel Regional Police said the male victim had succumbed to his injuries. He has since been identified as 27-year-old Clifford Correia of Brampton.
According to police, the incident started when both victims were in the back of a taxicab. Images from the scene later showed police towing away a cab with apparent bullet holes in one window.
One area resident said she and her husband were watching TV when the shots rang out.
“My husband heard five gunshots,” Elaine Mercer said. “He came to the window and didn’t see anything, but within a minute, there were police everywhere.”
A male suspect wearing all dark clothing was seen fleeing the scene following the shooting in a Ford F1 pickup truck, Const. Danny Marttini told CP24 at the scene.
Then at around 6:30 a.m., police were called to the area of Sunforest Drive and Sandalwood Parkway East for a separate shooting call on Townley Crescent. Officers said a male victim was found on the boulevard area with obvious signs of trauma and was pronounced dead at the scene.
The victim in that shooting has since been identified as 33-year-old Derrick McKeown from the Georgetown area.
Friends told CTV News Toronto that they were shocked to learn about how he died and said he left behind a young son.
“Derrick was the type of person that would always try to be positive, spur-of-the-moment, always thinking let’s go do this and he’d do it right away,” friend Rebecca Emmerson said, tearing up. “He loved his son. He was always thinking about his son.”
In a news release Sunday afternoon, police said they believe the shootings were targeted incidents and that they appear to be related to one another.
“The question of how and what makes that connection we’re still investigating,” Marttini told CP24.
She said the victims knew each other and were both known to police.
No information on any possible suspects has been provided in connection with either of the investigations.
Police are appealing to anyone with surveillance footage or anyone with information about the incidents to come forward.
