Families say goodbye to Danforth victims
Justin Trudeau pays tribute to victims of the July 22 Danforth shooting
Family and friends of the two young victims killed in the Danforth mass shooting said their goodbyes on Monday, as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered words comfort to a neighbourhood in mourning.
In Scarborough, mourners paid tribute to 18-year-old Reese Fallon, who was out with friends on July 22 when she was shot by 29-year-old gunman Faisal Hussain.
In Markham, the family of Julianna Kozis gathered at a Greek Orthodox church to remember a 10-year-old girl described by friends as sporty and outgoing. She was with her family on Danforth Ave. when she was shot.
Both victims’ families requested private funerals.
Meanwhile, at the site of the tragedy in the Greektown neighbourhood, dozens gathered Monday as Trudeau laid flowers at a makeshift memorial to Kozis, Fallon and the 13 others injured in last week’s attack. “I just wanted to tell those young people, and everyone who is grieving and mourning, that our loved ones, particularly extraordinary, beautiful ones like the two girls we lost, will be with us forever,” he said.
Trudeau declined to comment on a city council motion calling on Ottawa to ban handguns within Toronto.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau came to Alexander the Great Parkette on Monday with a message of love and community support.
“This is a time for compassion, time for openness and respect, time for us to pull together as a community,” he said, joining hundreds of mourners paying tribute to 18-year-old Reese Fallon and 10-year-old Julianna Kozis, the two young people killed in the Danforth mass shooting last Sunday night.
Kozis, who neighbours described as an outgoing and athletic child, was on a family outing on Danforth Ave. when she was caught in a hail of bullets fired by 29-year-old Faisal Hussain.
Fallon died while enjoying a night out with friends, including fellow members of the Young Liberals youth political organization.
Fallon and Kozis were both laid to rest in private funerals Monday.
Mourners have since last week been placing flowers, candles and stuffed animals, and writing chalk message of hope in a makeshift memorial at the parkette’s fountain, near Danforth and Logan Aves. Trudeau added another bouquet Monday, before standing in silence for a time beside the fountain.
“The strength of a community comes through moments of resilience like this,” he said later, noting he had been moved by how Torontonians had come together and shown strength and compassion in the face of tragedies.
Trudeau, who also attended Fallon’s Scarborough funeral earlier Monday, called upon young people to follow her example, “roll up their sleeves” and get involved in creating a better world for all of us.
Without offering any details, he said it was important for governments to look at the best ways they to keep citizens safe.
“People need to be safe, and we need to take the right measures to do that,” he said.
Asked by reporters whether he supports a ban on handguns in Toronto, Trudeau was noncommittal.
“We’re looking at a broad range of things. We’re going to make the right decision for the long term, not just the short term,” Trudeau said, adding his government is looking at how different jurisdictions around the world have handled the issue.
Some of Fallon’s friends, as well as Kozis’ father, are believed to be among the13 people injured in Hussain’s attack. The gunman himself was found dead shortly after exchanging gunfire with two police officers.
On the Danforth, signs of #DanforthStrong could be seen pasted in the windows and balconies of most businesses on the east-end street.
At the memorial, Sandra Pate, who has lived in the neighbourhood for more than 20 years, said she was at first worried the shooting would affect people’s ability to go about their usual businesses, but was encouraged to see life returning to normal on the Danforth.
“This is a community, a family neighbourhood, and people support one another,” Pate said in an interview.
“This is a pretty safe city in general, and it’s great to see the community come out and show support.”
Dozens of people took photos or stood silently taking in the scene.
Nussar Ahmad’s Ahmadiyya Muslim youth group were handing out free T-shirts which read “Love for All, Hatred for None.”
“The beauty of Canada is that when something like this happens, people come together instead of growing apart and cre- ating divide,” he said.
“We’re very fortunate. In many parts of the world, people feel isolated and there’s a spread of hate when acts of violence occur.”
Mourner Peter Khan didn’t know any of the people affected by the Danforth shooting, but he bought flowers in a show of solidarity.
He said governments need to address the root problems that are causing the increase of gun violence, from mental health issues to poverty.
“We don’t necessarily need to increase police presence, or bring back carding,” Khan said in an interview.
“Let’s invest our money and resources into the right programs for long term solutions.”
City council last week approved a $44-million plan, fiveyear plan to combat gun violence, including a controversial listening technology called ShotSpotter.