Gunman, 29, kills 2, wounds 13 in Toronto before being found dead

The man in black prowled for targets on Toronto’s bustling Danforth Avenue at 10 p.m. Sunday, pistol in hand.

He shot at groups of people, witnesses said, then melted away in a frantic zigzag pattern down the street. Victims were left sprawled inside businesses as strangers gave first aid to strangers along a glass-pocked scene spanning hundreds of yards.

The police caught up to him. A gunfight ensued, authorities said, and the man fled down an alley. He was later found dead.

An 18-year-old woman and a 10-year-old girl were killed, Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders told reporters on Monday, and 13 others were wounded.

The victims ranged in age from 10 to 59. The slain 18-year-old was identified as Reese Fallon, a recent high school graduate who was to attend McMaster University in the fall, the Associated Press reported.

The motive for the shootings was not clear. Authorities identified the shooter as Faisal Hussain, 29, of Toronto, the AP reported. No motive has been ruled out, including terrorism, Saunders said.

Video posted on the Internet reportedly shows the gunman firing at least three shots toward a business.

Other video recorded sounds of gunshots echoing off buildings in an area of restaurants and shops known as Greektown. Saunders described the avenue as “one of the busiest streets in the country.”

It was not immediately clear whether the gunman was shot by police or whether he killed himself.

Saunders declined to discuss that portion of the investigation, telling reporters that Ottawa’s Special Investigations Unit is mandated to probe officer-involved incidents. Monica Hudon, an SIU spokeswoman, told reporters that an autopsy will be performed Tuesday to determine the cause of death.

Five patients arrived at St. Michael’s Hospital in serious condition, three needing immediate lifesaving surgery, acting medical director Najma Ahmed told reporters Monday. All five are still being treated, she said.

Witnesses said that he fired into businesses and at people on the street along Danforth Avenue, the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. reported.

“It was a very rapid and fluid incident,” Detective Sgt. Terry Browne, the lead homicide investigator, told reporters. “We have several scenes within the scene.”

Toronto Mayor John Tory called the shooting a “despica- ble act” targeting innocents.

“While our city will always be resilient in the face of such attacks, it does not mean such a cowardly act committed against our residents is any less painful,” Tory tweeted.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered his condolences Monday.

“The people of Toronto are strong, resilient and brave – and we’ll be there to support you through this difficult time,” he wrote on Twitter, in both English and French.

Ontario lawmakers took to social media en masse to comment on the shooting rampage.

Jill Andrew, who represents Toronto in the provincial parliament, thanked first responders, along with trauma specialists who will be tasked with helping grieving families cope with the killings.

The attack shattered an otherwise peaceful night in Greektown, a name stemming from the inhabitants who filled the neighborhood after World War II.