Toronto shooting: Two dead, 12 injured after gunman dressed in black opens fire outside restaurant
A second person has died after a gunman opened fire on crowds outside a restaurant in Toronto, Canada. At least 12 further people were injured, and the attacker was killed.
Police located the 29-year-old suspect about three blocks away from the scene and exchanged fire. The man was found dead back on Danforth Street after fleeing.
It is not yet clear whether the man killed himself or died as a result of his injuries after being shot by police.
Police rushed to the downtown neighbourhood known as Greektown shortly after 10pm on Sunday evening following reports of an attacker opening fire.
Local television station CP24 has shown images of multiple ambulances and first responders at the scene, with several people being treated by paramedics.
Witnesses say a man dressed in black fired up to 20 shots outside the restaurant.
One of those shot is said to be a young girl, who is in hospital with critical injuries.
Canadian police said the suspect has died following the attack.
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Toronto police chief Mark Saunders said: ‘Now we have other than the shooter we have a young lady that is deceased right now and we have a young girl I believe eight or nine years old that is in critical.
‘We are looking at all possible motives… and not closing any doors.’
John Tulloch said he and his brother had just got out of their car when he heard about 20 to 30 gunshots.
He said: ‘We just ran. We saw people starting to run so we just ran.’
One witness, who was identified as Katie, was returning from dinner with friends and driving when she saw the shooter firing what appeared to be a handgun.
She told the Toronto Sun: ‘We heard a loud bang and I just looked to my left and I saw a guy in a black hoodie, just standing there, pointing at one of the storefront windows and the glass was just shattered.
‘He was firing multiple shots, we heard eight, if not more.’
She said the gunman appeared to be aiming directly into the restaurant.
Katie added ‘It was like he was in a stance, his arms were straight out.
‘It looked like he was firing straight in front of him. It looked very aimed.’
Toronto Mayor John Tory said: ‘We were so use to living in a city where these things didn’t happen.
‘But there are things that happen nowadays and they are just unspeakable.
I have talked to @TorontoPolice Chief @marksaunderstps tonight at the scene & I have been assured police are investigating exactly what happened and why. I would ask people not to draw any conclusions until we have more information from the police.
— John Tory (@TorontosMayor) July 23, 2018
This is a tragedy and on behalf of all Toronto residents, we are extending our prayers to all the innocent people attacked tonight, their families and their friends.
— John Tory (@TorontosMayor) July 23, 2018
‘Guns are too readily available to too many people.’
Toronto councillor Paula Fletcher said the gunman was ‘disturbed’ and the shooting was not gang related.
Toronto police have recently increased their numbers in the city in an attempt to tackle a recent increase in gun violence.
