Toronto shooting: 14 people shot, attacker dead, police say

NEWS 23.07.201808:48
MARK BLINCH / REUTERS

A woman was killed and 13 others injured in a shooting in Toronto on Sunday night, Police Chief Mark Saunders said.

The suspect is also dead, Saunders said.

The shooting victims are being treated for their injuries and their conditions were not immediately known. But one of the victims – a young girl – is in critical condition, Saunders told reporters late Sunday.

Shots rang out shortly after 10 pm ET in the Toronto’s Greektown neighbourhood.

It’s not clear what motivated the shooter, police said. They’re investigating “every possible motive, including terrorism,” Saunders said.
Toronto Mayor John Tory urged people not to draw any conclusions and let police investigate the shooting.

The shooter, who had a handgun, died from an apparent gunshot wound, but it’s not clear if it was self-inflicted or as a result of exchanging gunfire with police, Saunders told reporters.

A witness who was standing near the scene told CNN partner CTV that he heard about 20 shots and the sound of the weapon being reloaded repeatedly.

“And then, I saw the carnage as I ran down the street here to kind of follow the gunfire,” the man told the station, who described the scene as “pretty crazy.”

“I saw at least four people shot,” he said.

The victims were sent to trauma centres throughout the city, Toronto Police Sgt. Glenn Russell told CNN.

Witnesses were transported by buses to multiple offices to speak with investigators, Russell told CNN.

The crime scene covered a bit of distance, Saunders said, and police asked people to please contact them with any information they may have. Detectives began processing several scenes connected to the shootings.

Doug Ford, the premier of Ontario, tweeted Sunday night: “My heart goes out to the victims and loved ones of the horrific act of gun violence in Toronto.”

On Friday, the city rolled out a program to put 200 more officers on the streets of at-risk neighbourhoods between 7 pm and 3 am to combat gang violence, according to CTV. It’s not clear if Greektown was included in that program.

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