Toronto shooting leaves 2 dead, 19 injured
Teenage girl, young male killed following apparent dispute at party
CBC News
Posted: Jul 16, 2012 11:39 PM ET
Last Updated: Jul 17, 2012 3:11 AM ET
The shooting erupted at a party near Morningside Avenue and Lawrence Avenue East before 11 p.m. ET Monday. (Ivy Cuervo/CBC)
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Toronto police Chief Bill Blair says two people died and at least 19 others were wounded in a shooting that occurred at a block party in the city’s east end on Monday night.
Speaking to reporters hours after the shooting, a visibly shaken Blair confirmed that a teenage girl and a young adult male had been killed in the violence.
An infant was also wounded in the shooting, though the police chief said the child’s injuries were not life threatening. He said most of the remaining injured appeared to be adults.
"I’ve been a cop for 35 years and this is the worst incidence of gun violence in my memory anywhere in North America," Blair told reporters early Tuesday morning.
Blair also said one of the injured was a "person of interest" and had been taken into custody. More than one gun was used in the incident and one weapon was found at the scene.
"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, adding that the homicide squad, intelligence unit, as well as the guns and gangs unit were already involved in the investigation.
Blair said that police are still gathering information about the incident, which took place before 11 p.m. ET on Danzig Street, near Morningside Avenue and Lawrence Avenue East.
Police believe that more than 200 people attended the party.
Police Chief Bill Blair said the number of victims could rise as more people come forward. (Tony Smyth/CBC)“This is an area of the city that has never experienced this level of violence before,” Blair said.
Blair said the number of victims could still rise, if more come forward in the hours ahead.
The victims were transported to various hospitals in the area, including the Scarborough Hospital, the Hospital for Sick Children, St. Michael’s Hospital and Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.
Police Const. Wendy Drummond said police were dealing with a large crime scene and were trying to make contact with any witnesses who saw the shooting.
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.