Two teens wounded in Thorncliffe as shootings erupt across city

May 25, 2020May 25, 2020 Eric McMillan

First warm weekend in Toronto and everyone was out, including gunmen, it appears.

Police are investigating a slew of shootings — one in Thorncliffe Park, one in the St. James Town area, two along Danforth Avenue, and at least two shootings in other parts of the city.

Two teenagers were wounded and one person was taken into custody after the shooting at a park on Thorncliffe Park Drive south of Overlea Boulevard on Saturday.

Officers responded to multiple calls of shots fired in the park about 5:30 p.m. and found two male victims in their late teens with non-life threatening injuries, Duty Insp. Stacey Davis told media on the scene that evening.

Several areas were cordoned off with police tape.

“Although it looks like there might be many scenes, it starts in one area and the victims continue to move, so it’s a moving scene,” Davis said.

The incident seemed to have begun in the park between Thorncliffe Park Public School and another school, she said.

Some callers had said two males were shooting at each other, Davis said. But police did not know yet whether the gunshots were exchanged by the two wounded males or whether they were caught in a crossfire between other shooters.

“We’re trying to determine if there’s anyone outstanding at this point, but we do have two male victims … at hospital,” she said.

Police recovered a firearm at the scene and one person was taken into custody in connection with it, but it is not known if the firearm is related to the shooting, Davis said.

Police have obtained video from the scene where the victims were found, but they are waiting to see video from the school to get a better idea of how many people were involved in the shooting.

Two shootings on Danforth

Reports of gunshots on Danforth at Warden and Greenwood avenues were received within nine hours of each other on Sunday afternoon and evening.

A shooting victim reportedly walked into a hospital shortly after police received calls of people shooting at each other from vehicles at Danforth and Warden at about 2:30 p.m., according to police tweets.

The initial report on Twitter said officers arrived on the scene to find one vehicle was disabled and to learn that another vehicle had fled.

Police found shell casings and bullet holes at the scene but no injured parties.

Half an hour later, police reported a victim had walked into a hospital with serious injuries.

Three males sought

Later reports of multiple gunshots were heard in a laneway near Danforth and Greenwood, apparently during a dispute between a motorist and a cyclist, police said in a tweet shortly before midnight.

Officers reported finding the cyclist who was injured, as well as evidence of gunfire and shell casings. The vehicle had fled eastbound. from the site.

Half an hour later, police released via Twitter descriptions of three black males wearing masks and carrying a chrome pistol. The vehicle was a black Honda sedan.

SHOOTING: (UPDATE)
Danforth Ave & Greenwood Ave
– officers o/s investigating
– suspects involved: 3 x black males, all wearing masks, with a chrome pistol
– suspect vehicle: black Honda sedan
– vehicle fled E/B from the location
– any info call 4168082222/222TIPS#GO960373
^al

— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) May 25, 2020

Wellesley

At about midnight, police also received reports of multiple gunshots outside a Wellesley Street East apartment building at Bleecker Street in the St. James Town and Cabbagetown area.

Callers said people on foot and vehicles were fleeing the area.

Responding officers found evidence of gun fire and shell casings. No injuries were reported.

Police are reviewing video from surveillance cameras in the area.