Toronto police say the victim who was shot and killed at an apartment building in Etobicoke Tuesday night was a 16-year-old boy.
On Wednesday, police identified the victim as Isaiah Fogah. He is the city’s 2nd homicide victim of the year.
Police said the shooting involved several floors of the apartment building on 7 Capri Road, in the area of The East Mall and Rathburn Road.
When officers arrived, they located Fogah and another male victim suffering from gunshot wounds. They were taken to the hospital, where Fogah was pronounced dead.
Police said the other victim sustained serious injuries.
Investigators have not provided descriptions of the two masked suspects who exited the building after the shooting.
When asked on Tuesday night if there was an altercation that led to the incident, Duty Insp. Phillip Sinclair said the circumstances that led to the shooting was part of the investigation.
Lesley Oduro, the founder of Central Etobicoke Youth Agency and the community tenant lead for 7 Capri Rd., says he’s been advocating since 2011 for more resources to engage local youth.
That year, he lost his friend in front of the building.
“I was 24 when that happened. I’m 38 now, with two kids of my own, and for this to happen is a lot,” he told CTV News Toronto on Wednesday.
“This is terrible. We need some help.”
Oduro recounted being at home with his kids on Tuesday night when the gunshots rang out.
As the tenant lead, residents notified him that police were in the building.
“I’m scared for my kid and I’m scared for the rest of the kids in this area, but not scared to a point where I don’t think there’s a solution, scared to the point where it’s like I’m frustrated. I’m scared of the fact of not being able to do anything.”
Oduro says his organization has been involved in creating more opportunities for young people in the community, including connecting with other groups.
However, he believes more can be done.
“There’s a lot of youth in the area, and they’re affected. Two young people in the area that they see every day end up getting shot,” Oduro said, adding that they’re responding negatively to the incident.
“We don’t want (our youth) to make the wrong choices. We want them to be able to come to the right resource centres and the right individuals that can help them walk through this experience.”
Oduro fears that if young people are not given the right resources, they will turn to guns and knives to express their feelings.
“So, it’s a matter of the city coming together right now for the sake of the youth,” he added.
“I’ve been saying this over and over. We don’t want them with the wrong tools. They’re using these tools to express themselves.”
Toronto homicide investigators are asking anyone with information to contact them at 416-807-7400 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
