One man is dead and four others have been injured in a shooting outside an Etobicoke high school June 2, Toronto police say.
Police responded to reports of a shooting just before 11 p.m. in the parking lot behind North Albion Collegiate Institute, near the corner of Mount Olive Drive and Kipling Avenue, Det.-Sgt. Phillip Campbell said during a June 3 press conference. Officers found five people on scene with gunshot wounds and provided first aid until paramedics arrived.
A 61-year-old man was rushed to a trauma centre with life-threatening injuries, but has since died in hospital, said Det.-Sgt. Campbell, a member of the Toronto police homicide unit. The four other men were also transported to hospital, one with life-altering injuries. The remaining three were treated for non-life-threatening gunshot wounds.
The victims, who ranged in age from 40s to 60s, appeared to have been socializing in the school parking lot after playing a soccer game earlier in the day. Det.-Sgt. Campbell said it is not yet known if the shooters knew the victims, adding that the incident didn’t appear to be a shootout.
Details about the shooting remain scant, but police said a black truck was seen speeding away from the area after the shooting. Police are also seeking more information about two suspects in the area who were seen wearing dark clothing.
“We are currently canvassing the area for evidence and video footage and are asking that anyone with information, or who were in the area at the time, and may have video or dash-cam footage, to please contact police,” Toronto Police media relations officer Caroline de Kloet told The Epoch Times via email.
She said there continues to be a large police presence in the area as the investigation continues.
The Toronto District School Board said June 3 that North Albion Collegiate Institute would be closed for the day due to the ongoing police investigation outside the building.
“The school (and on-site daycare) will be closed to students and staff today with students moving to remote learning for the day,” the school board said in a post on X.
