A man was rushed to a trauma centre in critical condition after a shooting at a gas station in the city’s Lytton Park neighbourhood early Friday morning.

It happened at a Petro Canada location on Avenue Road south of Glencairn Avenue at around 12:25 a.m.

Insp. Jim Gotell tells CP24 that the male victim had pulled up at the station and had just stepped out of his vehicle to pump gas when he was approached by a masked suspect, who opened fire.

The male victim then collapsed to the ground after sustaining multiple gunshot wounds, Gotell said.

Sources tell CP24 that the suspect fired at least 14 shots at the victim, shattering both the driver’s side and front passenger side windows in his vehicle.

On Friday morning numerous bullet holes were visible in the victim’s vehicle and on the island holding the gas pumps.

At this point it remains unclear whether the suspect fired all of the gunshots or whether the victim may have returned fire.

CP24’s cameras did capture an officer removing a handgun from the front seat of the victim’s vehicle and carefully placing it in an evidence box at around 8 a.m.

The suspect is believed to have fled the scene in a dark-coloured SUV. Police have said that he was wearing dark clothing and a mask but no further description has been released.

Police do say that there were surveillance cameras at the gas station; however it remains unclear whether that footage will offer any clues as to the identity of the suspect.

Sources tell CP24 that police have also obtained tire tracks that were believed to be left by the suspect’s vehicle.