TORONTO — Police say two people who were shot at the same intersection in a northwest Toronto neighbourhood in less than a day were innocent bystanders who were attacked "indiscriminately."
Investigators say that while they can't rule out the possibility that the attacks last Friday and Saturday were related to gang violence, there is no evidence that the two people shot – one of them fatally – were in any way affiliated with gangs or "anything of that nature."
They say the two victims also have no connection with each other or the suspect.
No arrests have been made but police have released a photo of a suspect and say they found a vehicle linked to the attacks in Hamilton.
Police say the first incident took place around 6 p.m. Friday when a 16-year-old boy was waiting for the bus alone on his way to a volleyball game. They say he was shot in the face and remains in critical condition, with "potentially life-altering" injuries.
On Saturday afternoon, another person was shot while walking by a bus stop at the same intersection, police said. In that case, investigators said a man was shot three times – twice in the stomach – and later died in hospital.
He has now been identified as a 39-year-old man from Ghana.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 20, 2024.
The Canadian Press
