Two people were rushed to hospital after shots were fired from one car into another in Etobicoke’s Smithfield neighbourhood late Tuesday afternoon.
It happened on Lexington Avenue, just north of Albion Road and Silverstone Drive, shortly before 6 p.m.
According to police, officers who responded found both victims inside the car at the scene.
Initial information provided by paramedics indicating that the victims were a man and a woman was erroneous. Both victims are men believed to be in their 20s, paramedics updated.
Both sustained life-threatening injuries.
One man said he initially thought the sound was fireworks, but quickly discovered that a shooting had taken place.
“We saw a couple of people, they were running, and that was it,” the witness, who identified himself only as Jay, told CP24 at the scene.
“In two (to) three minutes police came and they checked everything out.”
He described the area as a “very quiet” neighbourhood where children often played in the streets.
Another man in the area at the time described hearing between five and seven shots in quick succession.
“All that’s in my mind at that time was just my family – you know my parents were outside in the backyard,” Hector Arrubla said.
He said the recent shootings within the greater community have left him worried.
“I hope that it simmers down. We’re a city that everybody’s together – everybody’s in the same boat here, and just to see this type of violence happening it’s not right.”
The city’s deputy mayor and local councillor said that incidents like the one Tuesday afternoon were not common occurrences in the area.
“This doesn’t happen in this community,” Ward 1 Coun. Vincent Crisanti said.
“This community is quite upset, quite angry, and so am I.”
Investigators are currently looking for a suspect vehicle – described only as a white car – in connection with the incident.
No suspect information was immediately provided.
Police continue to investigate at the scene.
