Toronto Police Arrest 23 as Nearly 100 Shots Fired in ‘Brazen’ Gun Battle Damage Police Car

Toronto Police officers walk along Danforth St. at the scene of a shooting in Toronto, on July 23, 2018. Cole Burston/AFP via Getty Images

Toronto police arrested 23 people and seized 16 firearms in connection with a “brazen” night-time shooting in the city’s west end on Nov. 11.

Police were in the area of Queen Street W. and Sudbury Street for an unrelated investigation at around 11:20 p.m. when three people who arrived in a stolen vehicle opened fire on a recording studio and the people gathered outside, said Toronto Police Service Deputy Chief Lauren Pogue in a Nov. 12 press conference. The incident escalated into a gun battle between two groups, with nearly 100 shots fired.

During the gunfight, bullets struck an unmarked police car with officers inside, but no injuries were reported, Pogue said.

“I want to stress how remarkable it is that in such a volatile and dangerous situation nobody was injured; no bystanders, not the individuals involved, and not our officers,” she said, adding that the incident is “very concerning” and speaks to the risk the community and police officers face.

Police took one of the suspects into custody, while two others fled. Authorities also secured the recording studio, arresting several people inside, many of whom were trying to escape, Pogue said.

The incident appears to be a highly targeted gang-related conflict, but the investigation is ongoing, she said.

Police searched the area after the incident and recovered a total of 16 firearms, including two assault-style rifles and multiple handguns “likely discarded by the fleeing suspects,” said Pogue.

Firearms were found in the studio, on the building rooftop, and hidden in nearby garbage bins.

Police said they will soon release more information, including the identities of those arrested and the charges they face.

Toronto Gang-Related Violence

Earlier this year, Toronto police arrested 32 people, including two teenagers, and laid 158 charges after disrupting a “long-standing street gang” in the city, known as the Jamestown Crips, in connection with a drug and firearm trafficking network.

“Gangs operate with a total disregard for the safety and well-being of others,” said Insp. Paul Krawczyk in an Aug. 15 press release. “Their criminal activities endanger innocent lives and destabilize communities. We are taking decisive action to remove these dangerous elements from our streets.”

In June, Toronto saw a 74 percent increase in shootings compared to the same period in 2023, police said at a June 27 press conference. Officials noted that 2023 had an “unusually low” number of shootings and was an outlier, but the shootings recorded this year are consistent with trends recorded prior to 2023.

As of June, Toronto police had recorded 24 shooting deaths this year. In comparison, 2022 saw 24, 2021 recorded 17, and 2020 had 21, police said.