Two more men have been arrested and charged with second degree murder in connection with the death of Christopher Kotsopoulos, Toronto police say.
A total of three men are now in custody and facing murder charges and two others are being sought in the shooting death of a 26-year-old man, who was slain outside a public housing complex as several children played nearby.
The additional arrests come just hours after police announced they had arrested one suspect in the case and police credited the community for their swift assistance.
“Witnesses presented themselves almost immediately, and provided statements to the police as to what they saw and heard the day of the shooting,” police said in a news release announcing the arrests Friday afternoon. “Investigators and family of the deceased are grateful for their assistance.”
Christopher Kotsopoulos, 26, was killed in an altercation with five other men in a lane outside the Swansea Mews complex in Toronto's west end late Monday afternoon. The altercation began as a physical fight but it quickly escalated, resulting in Kotsopoulos being shot by one of the men, police say.
The killing was witnessed by children, including one who was standing about a metre away from the actual scene, as people enjoyed the warm weather at around 5 p.m. on the civic holiday.
“There were kids on bicycles everywhere and the fact that Mr. Kotsopoulos was the only one killed was a miracle,” said homicide squad Det.-Sgt. Pauline Gray. “It’s an absolute miracle that there wasn’t somebody else at least wounded with gunfire in an open laneway.”
After the first arrest occurred Friday morning, Gray credited community members and witnesses who aided detectives, saying those people were motivated by the fact that they are fed up with violence.
“I think they’re tired of these young men with incredible entitlement and guns, several guns, holding them essentially hostage,” Gray told reporters at a news conference.
Heavily-armed members of the police service's emergency task force arrested a suspect at the housing complex, near The Queensway and Windermere Avenue, around 6 a.m. During the raid, three guns were seized, Gray said.
Police said at a news conference Friday that the victim lived in the east end with his family but once lived in the complex and was there Monday visiting some friends.
Police said Christopher Shaw, 21, will be charged with second-degree murder.
Two other suspects believed to also live in the housing complex -- 25-year-old Jeffrey Truong and 23-year-old Eli Goldman – were arrested later Friday afternoon. Police said they too both face a second-degree murder charge.
The men were arrested without incident, police said.
Police are also still trying to identify a fourth and fifth man.
Anyone with information is asked to call the homicide squad or Crime Stoppers at 416-222-8477.
@ChrisKitching and Josh_F are on Twitter. For instant breaking news, follow @CP24 on Twitter.
