One dead, one injured in Oshawa shooting

One man is dead and another has life-threatening injuries after shots were fired in downtown Oshawa Sunday morning.

Police were called to the Simcoe Street South and Athol Street area at about 10:30 a.m. on Sunday for reports of “numerous” gun shots.

Durham Regional Police Constable George Tudos says one man was found without vital signs when police arrived. He was taken to a local hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

Another man was found seriously hurt and taken to a Toronto trauma centre where he is being treated for life-threatening injuries.

Police are not confirming the ages of the men who were shot.

There was a large police presence in downtown Oshawa Sunday afternoon with several road closures as police worked at multiple crime scenes.

“We’re looking into the rooftop area, the alley and the inside of an apartment,” Tudos said. “We did have our helicopter on scene, as well, assisting with looking at the rooftops of the buildings, looking for evidence.”

No arrests have been made and police did not provide any suspect information except to say that there is no threat to public safety. Tudos called the daylight shooting “very uncommon” for Durham Region. “Obviously it’s disturbing to hear that for members of the community,” he said.

Downtown residents are shocked by the brazen shooting. Jennifer Gagnon has lived in downtown Oshawa on and off over the last 10 years and says it is generally safer than people perceive it to be. When she stepped out of her apartment building Sunday morning to have a cigarette, she was “extremely alarmed” to hear what sounded like gunshots.

Ryan Demers was walking his dog Sunday afternoon when he came across the crime scene. He says it’s rare to see this type of violence in the downtown. “It has kind of a bad reputation. But not for something like this. There are drugs and fights … stuff like that. But you don’t have guys shooting each other in the middle of the day here. That’s not something you see.”