"This is our home": A feeling of fragile normalcy returns to Danforth after mass shooting



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At the Lukumum coffee shop, customers were sipping espresso and watching the patio people. At Valley Farm Produce, customers viewed fresh fruit for sale on the sidewalk

. "Love for all, hatred for anyone," says a sign surrounded by red and white roses

A child's drawing said, "We love Toronto." Messages written in multicolored chalk were left behind on the fountain in the middle of the parkette: "We will not forget" and "Hold hands not rifles."

"It was a dark morning," said Adriana Sandu, director of Ten Spot Spa. "But I think the day goes on, everyone has bounced back, it seems a lot more normal and if I did not know it had happened, it would not seem strange at this point."

Sandu described the "living" neighborhood as being strong and resilient.

"It's very family-oriented and everyone is generally happy, comes and goes. Restaurants are usually full on the patios, "she said.

" It's usually a good atmosphere here. I like Greektown. "

More:

What We Know And Do not Know About The Shooting

On Sunday night, an armed man walked from the parking lot along the Danforth to the street Bowden, shooting in cafes and restaurants Reese Fallon, 18, and Julianna Kozis, 10, were killed

13 others were injured The shooter, identified by the Special Investigations Unit under the name of Faisal Hussain, was found shot dead from a bullet, after a shootout with police on Bowden Street

.A vigil for the victims will take place at 7 pm Wednesday in front of the. Danforth Church, at the corner of Danforth Ave. and Bowden St. It will be followed by a walk along the Danforth.All members of the community and people of all faiths are welcome and encouraged to bring candles.

Another vigil was held Monday night at Calvary Church on the Avenue. Pope

Nancy Kruger was walking all day with her friend Lisa Bacardi. After stopping for a slice of pizza to support a local business, the two women joined the crowd in the church.

"I lived here for four years when I was younger," Kruger said. "I always come back to that block where it happened."

She said that she attended the vigil to show "we are not afraid to come back here."

Scott Bradley, who lives near Pape Avenue. and O & # 39; Connor Dr., said he was heading to the vigil to show his support and because it "touches very close to the house."

"My heart turns to these two girls. Their life is gone even before they have the chance to live it.

On Monday evening, about 500 members of a Muslim youth organization converged on Danforth to commemorate the victims. They carried placards that said "#TorontoStrong" and "Love for all, hate for anyone."

They returned on Tuesday, in greater numbers, to "show and condemn the attack, first and foremost, show our solidarity and pray for the victims and their families," said Blawal Aleem , a member of Ahmadiyya Muslim Jama & # 39; at.

Aleem said that the youth badociation also wanted to "dissociate the attack from any possible religious connection."

"We want to show that Islam (promotes) peace and condemns violence, "he said.

Of the 15 victims shot in the ransom, eight were women. The 13 survivors are between 17 and 59 years old.

Five victims were taken to St. Michael's Hospital with injuries ranging from serious to critical. Three of the patients underwent "immediate and vital surgery". Three patients remain in the hospital – two in critical condition. A patient was released Tuesday

Sunnybrook Hospital hosted three victims who were still treated Tuesday: one in critical condition but stable and two in good condition.

The Michael Garron Hospital hosted seven people, two with bullet wounds. One of these seven patients remains in the hospital in a stable condition.

Shop owners along the Danforth were still talking Tuesday about what they saw on Sunday night.

Léa Ockrant, owner of Bellare Amore, was at the back of her shop. brilliant sounds.

"And I thought, oh, fireworks," she said. "I mean, it's a danger of our safe city – you hear gunshots and you think fireworks."

Ockrant went to the front of his shop and looked out the door.

"As I started to get closer, I heard someone screaming," she said. "A screaming lady," He fires at us "And I thought, what?

" And that 's when I realized, oh my God, that' s n '. is not a fireworks. "

Ockrant closed the door and went to the back of her store.

She said that in a few moments the police were on the scene." A police presence remained Tuesday, with some cruisers parked along the street and two officers on horseback.

"This is not our neighborhood or our street. She spoke to the Star in front of her store, where she placed a #DanforthStrong sign.

"You just have to keep going because there is no answer for this," she said. "You'll never know why that's exactly what happened, but you have to stay strong and support each other and squeeze everyone for a few days."

"I would like to be able to embrace the families of those who were lost, and I would love to be able to replace, change, flip and undo." Look at this man and notice that he was struggling , and maybe hug him, too. "

Ockrant said the community would rebound.

"What other choice do we have?" She asked. "We will rebound, but they will never be forgotten."

Correction – July 24: An earlier version of this story made a false statement about the high school that Reese Fallon attended. Fallon just graduated from the Malvern Collegiate Institute

With Inori records, RoyTamar Harris is a late-night journalist based in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @tamarmharris

May Warren is a late-breaking journalist based in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @ maywarren11

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