Mass shooting in Toronto leaves 2 dead, 12 wounded; gunman dead

Ontario’s police watchdog says a second person is dead after gunman shot 14 people in Toronto’s Greektown neighborhood. A spokeswoman for the province’s Special Investigations Unit, Monica Hudon, says three people are dead including the gunman in the Danforth Street attack. No further details were given on the second victim. Police confirmed one victim died Sunday night and a young girl was in critical condition.

The unit says police located the 29-year-old suspect about three blocks away from the scene and exchanged fire. It said the man fled, then was found dead back on Danforth.

It was not immediately clear whether the man killed himself or died of injuries after being shot by police.

The Special Investigations Unit will determine how the man died and whether there was any police wrongdoing. The unit is automatically called in to investigate all deaths and serious injuries where police are involved.

Earlier,  Police Chief Mark Saunders said the shooting in the city’s Greektown neighborhood wasn’t random, and he didn’t rule out terrorism as a motive. He said that one of the victims was a “young lady”  and a girl who is 8 or 9 years old was in critical condition.

He said the suspect used a handgun.

Police urged people to come forward with video or witness testimony:

Witnesses or business owners/residents who have any video or photos from Danforth Av/Logan Av to as west as Broadview Av from the time period around 10pm July 22/2018 please contact Homicide investigators 416-808-5504 during night or business hours 416-808-7400 #GO1341286

— Homicide Squad (@TPSHomicide) July 23, 2018

A video from one witness shows a man dressed in black clothes and a black hat walking quickly and firing three shots from the sidewalk into at least one shop or restaurant.

Toronto’s Greektown is a lively residential area with crowded Greek restaurants and cafes.

The condition of the other victims wasn’t known yet, police spokesman Mark Pugash said.

John Tulloch said he and his brother had just gotten out of their car when he heard about 20 to 30 gunshots.

“I thought it was fireworks at first, because it was a rapid fire, and then there would be a pause and more fire. We didn’t know what it was. We saw people starting to run in our direction, and I still didn’t know what it was. And then more people were running, and so we started running and we ran down a side street,” he said.

An army of police, paramedics and other first responders soon descended on the scene, while area residents, some in their pajamas, emerged from their homes to see what was happening.

Toronto Councillor Paula Fletcher told CP24 she heard that the gunman was emotionally disturbed.

“It’s not gang-related. It looks like someone who is very disturbed,” Fletcher said.

Fletcher said for this to happen in an area where families gather for dinner is a tragedy.

Mass shootings are rare in Canada’s largest city.

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reacted to the shooting on Twitter.

My thoughts are with everyone affected by the terrible tragedy on the Danforth last night in Toronto, and may the injured make a full recovery. The people of Toronto are strong, resilient and brave – and we’ll be there to support you through this difficult time.

— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) July 23, 2018

“We were so use to living in a city where these things didn’t happen,” Toronto Mayor John Tory said. “But there are things that happen nowadays and they are just unspeakable.”

This past weekend, Toronto police deployed dozens of additional officers to deal with a recent spike in gun violence in the city.

Tory said the city has a gun problem.  “Guns are too readily available to too many people,” he said.