Toronto police are searching for three suspects in connection with a “targeted” shooting in North York Friday night that left a man dead and two others seriously injured.
Police said they received multiple calls shortly after 11 p.m. for a shooting in the area of Jane Street and Sheppard Avenue West.
When officers arrived, police said three men in their 20s were found suffering from gunshot wounds.
One victim, 22-year-old Abdihamiim Aden, was pronounced dead at the scene despite life-saving measures, Det. Sgt. Sandra Arruda told reporters during a Saturday afternoon news conference.
The other two men were rushed to the hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries. Arruda said the two victims are in stable condition.
Suspect vehicle set on fire in Brampton
“I want to say that it’s very early in our investigation, but it does appear that this shooting was targeted, and currently the motive is under investigation,” Arruda said.
She shared that they are looking for three male suspects last seen wearing all black clothing and masks who fled the scene in a stolen black Honda Civic.
Police do not have detailed descriptions of the suspects at this time.
Arruda said the suspect vehicle was found on fire around 3 a.m. Saturday in the area of Finchgate and Clark Boulevards in Brampton.
Peel police told CP24 that their officers attended the scene and held it until Toronto police arrived. “That was the extent of our involvement in this case,” a Peel police spokesperson said.
Arruda noted that the vehicle was stolen in North York several days ago.
When asked whether the suspects and victims knew each other, Arruda said investigators do not have information to suggest that.
She also did not have any information if the victims lived in the area.
“We understand that incidents like this can cause concern within the community, and I want to assure the residents of this community that we are putting in all our resources to be in this neighbourhood and where the vehicle was located to find all the evidence that we need to solve this murder,” Arruda said.
Resident heard up to six gunshots
A woman who has lived in the area for 25 years told CTV News Toronto that she heard up to six gunshots.
“I got scared. So, I told my daughter to let’s go in the washroom because it’s in the middle of the house,” she said.
The resident, who works as a nurse, recounted that she later heard someone shouting for help. So, she said she got out to help.
The first victim she attended to was suffering gunshot wounds to his legs, the resident remembered.
As she was helping one victim, she heard another screaming.
“She’s like, ‘Oh my son, my son!’ And then I’m like, ‘Oh, I’ll go see if I could do CPR on him,’” the resident recounted. Police and paramedics shortly arrived and pronounced the man dead.
She described the man as a “quiet” and “good kid.”
While they’ve already had witnesses come forward, police are urging anyone who hasn’t, especially those with vehicles with dashcam footage, to contact homicide investigators at 416-808-7400 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
“The only way we can continue to, you know, put a mark on the violence of the city is to continue to solve these homicides and put those that are responsible for this type of crime behind bars,” Arruda said.
With files from John Musselman, CTV News Toronto video journalist
