NEWS

Shooting suspect cheered community spirit

One of three teenagers arrested in this morning’s shooting and attempted robbery of an armoured car on Avenue Road was featured in a Town Crier story two years ago about the unveiling of a community-spirit mural in Lawrence Heights.

Jaden Beckford, arrested along with Nicholas Cross and Rashid Clarke in Lawrence Heights shortly after a Garda World armoured truck guard was critically wounded in a shootout at an Avenue Road bank, said in 2012 he interpreted slogans on the mural installation as meaning “when faced with any decision, love is the only option.”

The victim, 37, remains in critical condition this afternoon following emergency surgery for life-threatening injuries at Sunnybrook Hospital. He was one of two male guards making a pickup at the TD Bank branch on Avenue Road and Brookdale Avenue, just north of Lawrence Avenue West, but the only one involved in the shootout, police said.

The three accused, all 18, were due in court today and are each facing 14 charges, including attempted murder and two counts of armed robbery.

Staff Insp. Mike Earl of the Toronto police holdup squad told a news conference this morning the guard was “ambushed by three male suspects” in the 1:15 a.m. incident.

“He was immediately fired upon with a handgun,” he said.

Thirty shell casings were found at the scene, and police said a handgun believed to have been involved in the shooting was recovered.

Staff Insp. Earl said the accused have also been charged in connection with the attempted robbery of the same Garda World armoured truck at 12:30 a.m. on June 5 near Bathurst Street and Lawrence Avenue West.

“I don’t think the two individuals are specifically targeted,” he said. “It’s the actual truck or company that’s being targeted.”

He called the motive “financial.”

Beckford said in the August 2012 story he was “proud and happy” to be involved in painting the mural on the walls of the Allen Road underpass on Ranee Avenue.

“I’ve seen people die, I’ve seen people happy, so just to help out my community and make it look better … means a whole lot to me,” he said.

Beckford explained at the time that one of the mural’s sayings, “Love or love”, was a popular phrase in the community, he said, explaining that he interpreted it as meaning “when faced with any decision, love is the only option.”

— With files from Dan Hoddinott