Loved ones of one of the men fatally gunned down on a busy stretch of Queen Street West this long weekend said the 28-year-old music brand manager was a “gifted kid” who was “impossible to not like.”

Speaking with CTV News Toronto on Wednesday, the father, sister and girlfriend of Ernest Modekwe said they cannot imagine why anyone would want him dead.

Ernest Modekwe – who was known to many as “Kosi” – was fatally shot outside of Cube Nightclub, located in the area of Queen Street West and Peter Street, on Saturday just before 8 p.m. Jahvante Smart, 21, was identified by police as the other victim of the fatal shooting. Both men were pronounced dead after being rushed to a trauma centre.

A 37-year-old woman suffered injuries in the shooting but is expected to survive, police said over the weekend.

Ernest Modekwe’s father, Okwii Modekwe, said his son was working to launch a clothing line called Prime.

Okwii Modekwe said his son graduated from the University of Toronto where he studied business.

“(Ernest Modekwe had a) very large heart, generous, he takes people’s problems as his own and he doesn’t like to hurt people, he doesn’t have no in his mind,” he said. “I don’t think anyone in their right mind would target Ernest because he doesn’t have enemies. I don’t think he was the target. I think he was at the right place but at the wrong time.”

Okwii Modekwe said he moved to Canada from Nigeria to live “peacefully” and raise his children.

Ernest Modekwe’s sister, Chinasa Modekwe, said their family is living a “really bad nightmare.”

“It’s hard to accept. It’s hard to process. It’s just devastating,” she said while speaking alongside her father. “He really wanted to make a mark in this world and Toronto. He really wanted to continue to brand Toronto, continue to brand ‘The 6ix.’ He really wanted to get his stuff out there in terms of his clothing line and his rap group.”

“He was a good person. He was so likeable and funny and outgoing and loving.”

Smart, the other victim of the fatal incident, was a rising rapper who went by the stage name “Smoke Dawg,” according to family and friends. His family released a statement on Sunday saying he left behind a one-year-old daughter, his parents, 13 siblings, friends, and fans.

Drake posted a picture of the two together on Instagram following the shooting and wrote: “All these gifts and blessed souls and inner lights being extinguished lately is devastating. I wish peace would wash over our city. So much talent and so many stories we never get to see play out. Rest up, Smoke.”

Speaking about the recent rise in gun violence in the city of Toronto, Ernest Modekwe’s girlfriend Tyneesha Du said something needs to be done.

“It breaks my heart and for Smokey’s family as well,” she said. “No mother should have to bury their child. It shouldn’t be like this. Toronto really needs to change. I don’t know what’s going on for people to think that this is okay or that this is acceptable, it’s not – this is not the type of community we are.”

Du said she was supposed to go travelling with her boyfriend on Tuesday to London, Amsterdam and South Africa.

“I feel like I’ve already planned my whole life with him in my head and it’s hard to accept that it’s not going to happen,” she said. “It honestly doesn’t feel real. I’m just waiting for someone to call and say it was all a mistake.”

Since Saturday, eight people have been shot and three people have been killed in the downtown core, including incidents that happened in Kensington Market and the Fashion District.

Chinasa Modekwe said those responsible for the attacks need to think about the families before taking such action.

“We’re going to be grieving forever,” she said. “I’ve lost a brother and it’s just devastating. Families don’t ever get over this kind of loss and that’s something that needs to be thought about.”

“It’s very, very tough to grasp. Why – we don’t know why this happened – and that’s the question, someone’s son, someone’s brother, why did you feel like you need to take a gun and end someone’s life?”

Police search for witnesses

Toronto police previously said they are searching for more than one suspect but did not confirm the exact number of people believed to be responsible. Officers added that the suspects may have fled the scene of the deadly shooting in a black SUV or a white car but descriptions of the suspects have not been released.

Okwii Modekwe said he is asking those responsible for his son’s death to surrender themselves to authorities.

“When they are arrested I will be in the court for everyday of that proceeding and that is when I will address my issue with them because we cannot live our lives in fear – people in Toronto right now are living their lives in fear and we can’t continue that way,” he said.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact investigators.

With files from CTV News Toronto's Tracy Tong