Two people were killed and 19 were injured by gun fire in a shootout that erupted late Monday night during a block party in Scarborough.
A teenager girl and a man in his 20′s died.
Police say the shooting took place at about 10:40 p.m. at 193 Danzig Avenue, near the intersection of Lawrence and Morningside in Scarborough in the east of the city.
The shooting occurred during an altercation between individuals which resulted in exchanges of gunfire involving at least two guns.
Some 200 people, including several teenagers and young adults, were on hand when the shots were heard.
Several people were injured in the panic that gripped the crowd – some by bullets, other were trampled. A very young child was hit by a projectile and is currently in stable condition.
Toronto Chief of Police Bill Blair was visibly shocked when he addressed the media shortly after 1 am Tuesday morning.
TORONTO: JULY 17, 2012–Police cordoned off on Morningside Avenue in the early hours of July 17, 2017 after multiple gunman open fire injuring 21 people and leaving two dead following an altercation at a large party a few hours earlier at 193 Danzig Avenue in Scarborough .
“This is a tremendously frightening and tragic event for everyone,” said Blair, who called the incident an episode of “senseless violence” the likes of which he had not seen during his 35-year career as a police officer.
The Globe And Mail reports, several witnesses say two pregnant woman were among the injured, including one who appeared to have been trampled in the melee.
The injured were transported to several hospitals in the city.
“Tonight’s event is shocking to every Torontonian, it will be shocking to all of Canada because of the number of the people injured. The level of violence is something we have never experienced,” Blair said
One suspect was wounded during the shooting and is in police custody, said Chief Blair.
Several squads of Toronto Police were dispatched to the scene.
Toronto Mayor Rob Ford said he was “shocked and disgusted” by the “senseless act of violence.”
“On behalf of all Toronto residents, I would like to extend our thoughts and prayers to the victims, their families and friends,” he said in a written statement released hours after the shooting.
“This is an area of the city that has never experienced this level of violence before,” Blair said.
The incident is reminiscent of the attack at the Toronto Eaton Centre at the beginning of June which saw two people killed and six wounded.
