Toronto police are investigating after a 21-year-old man was fatally shot in a densely populated residential area in the city’s east-end overnight.
The shooting occurred on Langford Avenue, in the area of Pape and Danforth avenues, shortly after midnight.
The victim, identified by police as Tyrone Tomlinson of Toronto, was found suffering from gunshots wounds and was rushed to hospital, where he later died.
Police said Sunday afternoon that Tomlinson was in the area visiting a friend when he was shot. Investigators said he had a relationship with the residents of the home where the shooting took place, but would not say exactly what that relationship was.
“At this stage it’s still too early to say what took place and how it started,”Det. Sgt. Susan Gomes told reporters.
However she said information from the scene indicates that Tomlinson was shot multiple times.
Gomes said police are going door-to-door in the neighbourhood to speak with neighbours to see if anyone heard or saw anything suspicious. Investigators are also asking any nearby businesses for surveillance footage that may have captured any activity related to the shooting.
“We have interviewed several witnesses in the area are and as a result of that we believe the suspect was last seen running on foot eastbound through the residential area between a series of homes in the neighbourhood, jumping a fence. And that’s when we essentially lost sight of him,” Gomes said.
In a news release, police said the suspect was wearing dark clothing, a hood and was possibly carrying a knapsack-style bag.
Neighbours shaken
One neighbourhood resident said she was reading in bed when she heard three or four gunshots ring out last night.
"Honestly I didn’t know if they were firecrackers and which direction they were coming from. I had no idea," she said. "I looked out the window and didn’t see anything. Then I heard the sirens pretty soon afterward."
Another neighbour told CP24 at the scene that she considers the area to be a "safe" neighbourhood.
"I was in disbelief because it has never occurred in this neighbourhood," she said.
"It is very scary. It is too close for comfort. There are too many children living in this neighbourhood. It is a very family-oriented neighbourhood. There are schools left, right and centre and children play freely in this neighbourhood. We can’t do any of that until we figure out what’s going on."
An autopsy was scheduled to be conducted today.
Anyone with information is being asked to contact police at 416-808-7400 or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477).
