Toronto shooting: 2 dead in the popular Greektown neighborhood; gunman killed by police

A black gunman opened fire in a bustling Toronto neighborhood Sunday night, killing at least two people and injuring 12 others before being shot in an "exchange of fire" with police, indicated the authorities. the reason for the shooting was not immediately clear, and the identity of the alleged gunman was not made public. But Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders said it was not a random act and that terrorism had not been ruled out.

The video posted on the Internet included shots that rang out in restaurants and shops.

A spokeswoman for Ontario's Special Investigations Unit, Monica Hudon, said two people had been killed with the suspect. Earlier, Saunders, the chief of police, said that a woman had been killed and that a girl was in critical condition. But details about the second victim were not immediately known.

The shooting broke out around 22 hours. Sunday, near Danforth and Logan avenues east of downtown, in the Danforth district, police said. Saunders described the stretch of road as "one of the busiest streets in the country".

"Our city will always be resilient. Tory tweeted

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered his condolences on Monday

. of Toronto are strong, resilient and courageous – and we will be there to support you in this difficult time, "he writes on [Twitter] in both English and French.

Ontario legislators have mbad-taped social media to comment on

Jill Andrew, who represents Toronto in the provincial parliament , thanked first responders, as well as trauma specialists who will be responsible for helping bereaved families cope with the murders.

The scene captured the sound of gunfire as pedestrians snuck into nearby buildings

The attack broke an otherwise peaceful night in Greektown, a name derived from the inhabitants who filled the neighborhood after the Second World War. The region is the scene of the popular Taste of the Danforth festival, an annual three-day food and entertainment event in August that attracts more than 1.5 million visitors, according to its website. The cultural melting pot presented at the festival – which includes Chinese, South Asian, Egyptian, Greek, Japanese and Azerbaijani dances – reflects the eclectic mix of the district.

"For non-residents of Toronto: Danforth / Pope is one Robyn Urback wrote on Twitter after filming, referring to the Pape Avenue, another street In the region. "It's horrible."

Andrew Van Eek, who lives near the shooting, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. that he had taken his head out of his window after the start of the shooting.

"There was a lot of commotion on the street," he told the CBC. "I saw someone come down on the sidewalk and shoot the Demetres restaurant."

Van Eek told the network that the suspect was a white man, dressed in black, who appeared to be in his thirties.

He told CTV that he felt the shooter had fired about 20 shots.

"And then, I saw the carnage as I ran down the street to follow the shots," he told the station. "I saw at least four people being shot."

Jody Steinhauer was walking through a restaurant Sunday night with her partner, two sets of grandparents and her children. It was her birthday party, she told Radio New Zealand. But when the party entered the institution, they suddenly heard a series of cracks like firecrackers. The restaurant staff ordered everyone at the back of the room. Come down, they said.

"All you could hear was screaming," recalls Steinhauer. "There was a woman coming from the street shouting," Help me! Help me! He was shot in the leg. "

The woman was taken to the back of the room and stabilized on a bench. "Thank God, there was a doctor in the restaurant," she said.

Steinhauer plunged into a corner and started tweeting about what was going on. "We could not even go to emergency numbers because the circuits were so blocked," she said. "I was able to tweet to reporters to let them know what was going on."

The gunman was killed four doors from where Steinhauer and his family were hiding, she said, "It's just terrifying," she said. "Toronto is a very safe city, with many people from many cultures, but who knows what has really happened?" Time will tell. "

The year was violent for Toronto In April, 25-year-old Alek Minbadian reportedly mowed pedestrians in a shopping district with a van, killing 10 people and injuring dozens of people.Minbadian faces 10 counts of first-degree murder. [19659026] But the latest deadly shooting also comes as Toronto has witnessed an increase in gun violence over the past few months, killing eleven people in the space of seven days. the end of June, reported the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. In July 16, the city saw 220 shootings in 2018, statistics from the police department show.According to the BBC, gun-related deaths have increased by 50% this year over 2017.

The violent peak ap In response to this pressure, the city launched a $ 15 million Armed Violence Reduction Plan last week. The proposal put an additional 200 police officers on the streets of Toronto in targeted areas between 7 pm. and 3 pm for the rest of the summer

In his brief comments Monday morning, Toronto mayor, Tory, reiterated that the Danforth shooting was "evidence of a problem". firearm "in the city

. Brian 1965 contributed to this report

More from Morning Mix: