Man found dead after Scarborough shooting
Body of 24-year-old located in parking lot following reports of gunfire
A Scarborough neighbourhood is in mourning after a 24-year-old man was found dead in a parking lot Saturday.
The Toronto police homicide unit was called in to investigate after the man was found without vital signs near Victoria Park and Finch Aves. Police believe there is no threat to public safety and that the victim was targeted.
Paramedics said they were called to Chester Le Blvd. just after 8 a.m. Saturday and found the victim dead when they arrived.
Police believe the victim was shot at about 1:30 a.m. by two individuals he had met in the parking lot. The suspects then fled on foot.
Residents in the neighbourhood called 911 to report the sound of gunfire and police searched the area, but the body wasn’t found until daylight hours, said Det. Jason Shankaran of the homicide unit.
Police are searching CCTV footage in an attempt to identify the assailants.
Shankaran said the victim was found by someone who lives in the neighbourhood.
Police could not confirm whether the incident was connected to another shooting in the area that occurred Thursday.
“This neighbourhood has had its share of tragedy recently,” Shankaran said.
Friends and family gathered in the pouring rain as the news spread early Saturday. Visibly distraught relatives arrived at one house.
“He’d always offer anything he had, and he didn’t always have everything,” said Nidun Chandrakumar, a friend of the victim.
He said they’d been friends since Grade 7 and had gone to high school together.
“I can’t understand why it would be him,” Chandrakumar said. A man named Yusuf Mohammed, who identified himself as a friend of the family, said he knew the victim and identified him to the Star. The name is being withheld at the fami- ly’s request, to allow them time to inform relatives.
“I am terribly sad,” Mohammed said.
Hassan O. Ibrahim, general manager of the nearby Abu Huraira Centre, called on all levels of government to investigate.
“This could have been any other kid in the neighbourhood. This has to be a wake-up call and something must happen. We cannot let this go,” said Ibrahim, who stressed that the victim was a good kid who had never been in any trouble.
“We can’t wait for another young kid to be shot. Something has to happen to protect these innocent kids just because they’re living in the neighbourhood. The community is ready to work with police.”