In an interview published on a YouTube channel called “We Love Hip Hop”, one of the suspects wanted in connection with a playground shooting that sent two young girls to the hospital talks about his music and his Toronto background.
The video was apparently recorded on June 13, the day before the shooting in Scarborough. The channel hosts spend 20 minutes interviewing 23-year-old T’Quan Robertson, also known as “Top Gunna”. Robertson is seen wearing a plain white shirt, and smoking during the interview. The majority of the interview centers around his rap career, but he touches on his connection to Toronto and the GTA.
“I was born and raised at Midland and Eglinton, at Gilder. Moved out to Ajax,” he says.
The hosts of the YouTube channel posted a disclaimer at the beginning of the interview: “The artist in this interview has been since accused of a very heinous crime. The accused are innocent until proven guilty. The We Love Hip Hop Network would like to send our prayers to the family affected. We Love Hip Hop does not support of condone any criminal activity and/or accusations of any former or future guest on any of our programs.”
Robertson is one of two suspects wanted by Toronto Police in connection with a shooting that seriously injured two children. The sisters, ages five and nine, were shot on June 14 around 5 p.m. while playing in a playground on Alton Towers Circle, in the area of McCowan Road and McNicoll Avenue.
Both children were taken to the hospital in serious, but not life-threatening condition.
“The investigation has been going on very robustly over the last two weeks,” Toronto police Det. Sgt. Jim Gotell said on Thursday. “We are working behind the scenes now to look at addresses where the two people outstanding lived, who their associates are, where we think they may be, and we are trying to find these guys by any means available.”
Gotell told CTV News Toronto that the children in the playground were between the ages of two and 10 or 11.
“The fact that this playground where this incident happened was full of children at the time is very serious. And it seems like it was almost an indifference to human life when the shooting event took place,” he said. “We are aware that a lot of these children are having nightmares about the shooting. They don’t want to go back to a playground again.”
Police have said that the vehicle involved in the shooting has been found and one suspect has been taken into custody.
Sheldon Eriya, 21, of Markham was taken into police custody on June 15. He is facing seven charges, including two counts of attempted murder.
Two days later, police identified two other suspects wanted in connection with the incident. Robertson, as well as Tarrick Rhoden, 23, are each wanted on two counts of aggravated assault, attempted murder, and discharging a firearm with intent.
Rhoden is described as six-foot-one and approximately 181 pounds. Police say that Robertson is about five-foot eight and 130 pounds.
Police are urging anyone who has information about the location of these two suspects to call police immediately. They are also urging the pair to turn themselves in to officers.
