Two teen suspects arrested in shooting outside Toronto high school
Two 17-year-old males have been arrested in connection with a drive-by shooting outside a Toronto high school that left a Grade 10 student with critical injuries.
The shooting took place in the parking lot outside of Weston Collegiate Institute, near Jane Street and Lawrence Avenue, shortly after noon on Thursday.
Police say that the 15-year-old victim had just left the school building when two male suspects in a stolen Hyundai Elantra pulled into the parking lot and opened fire on him.
The victim sustained multiple gunshot wounds to his “upper chest area” as a result, police say. He ran back into the school building to seek help and was later rushed to hospital via emergency run, where he remains in critical but stable condition.
“At this time it is alleged that the driver shot the victim multiple times from the vehicle,” Insp. Norm Proctor said during a press conference at police headquarters on Friday afternoon. “The suspects fled and the suspect vehicle was later located in Peel Region. It was later learned by investigators that this vehicle had been stolen via carjacking earlier in the day.”
The suspects were arrested on Friday morning following the execution of a search warrant in Peel Region. Proctor said that a loaded firearm was recovered at that time.
He said that investigators are still working determine what relationship, if any, the suspects had with the victim. Neither attended Weston Collegiate Institute as students.
“The investigation is early and we are still working on a lot of information,” Proctor said. “The only information I can release at this time is that the young victim walked out into the parking lot and was then shot by the suspects, specifically one suspect. I don’t know if there was any interactions prior or if they are known (to one another). I have no idea.”
‘A brazen offence’
The shooting resulted in an hours-long lockdown at Weston Collegiate Institute on Thursday afternoon as police swept the building for possible suspects.
Classes resumed at the school on Friday morning and support staff were on hand to provide assistance to staff and students who required it.
The shooting was just the latest in a series of violent incidents at Toronto schools, and comes just months after an 18-year-old man was fatally shot outside Woburn Collegiate Institute in Scarborough in November.
“It is a brazen offence, there is no doubt about that. It is alarming,” Proctor said of the Weston Collegiate Institute shooting. “One shooting is too many but any shooting on school property or in relation to a school raises the alarm bells even louder or further.”
The suspects are each facing 10 charges, including attempted murder.
They cannot be identified under the terms of the Youth Criminal Justice Act.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
What economists think of Trudeau's temporary tax cut, $250 cheques
The federal government's 'meaty' move to pause federal sales tax on a long list of items and send cheques to millions of Canadians this spring could factor into an improving outlook for growth in 2025, economists say.
NATO and Ukraine to hold emergency talks after Russia's attack with new hypersonic missile
NATO and Ukraine will hold emergency talks Tuesday after Russia attacked a central city with an experimental, hypersonic ballistic missile that escalated the nearly 33-month-old war.
Senior killed in dog attack in northern Ont.
An 81-year-old was killed in a dog attack this week in Bonfield, Ont. Police believe three dogs were involved.
Tracking respiratory viruses in Canada: RSV, influenza, COVID-19
As the country heads into the worst time of year for respiratory infections, the Canadian respiratory virus surveillance report tracks how prevalent certain viruses are each week and how the trends are changing week to week.
Trump chooses Pam Bondi for attorney general pick after Gaetz withdraws
U.S. president-elect Donald Trump on Thursday named Pam Bondi, the former attorney general of Florida, to be U.S. attorney general just hours after his other choice, Matt Gaetz, withdrew his name from consideration.
Britain forked out US$91 million for King Charles' coronation in the middle of a cost-of-living crisis
The coronation of King Charles III and Queen Camilla held in May last year cost British taxpayers £72 million (US$91 million), an amount some have labeled excessive.
Son of Norway's crown princess accused of second rape
The 27-year-old son of Norway’s crown princess has been accused of a second rape just days after he was arrested on suspicion of the same offence.
Woman accused in drowning of girl at Alberta lake had been under house arrest
A bail hearing has heard that a woman accused in the drowning death of a five-year-old girl in an Alberta lake didn't know the child and was supposed to be under house arrest.
Decision expected today in trial for Convoy protester Pat King
A judge is expected to issue a decision this morning in the criminal case against one of the most prominent figures of the 2022 'Freedom Convoy' in Ottawa.