Two men were killed and four other people wounded in a shooting near Toronto's Salsa on St Clair street festival on Saturday evening, according to police. Deputy Chief Frank Barredo said that what initially triggered an active-shooter warning was an exchange of gunfire between two individuals targeting each other.
Details of the Incident
The shooting was reported at 8:12 p.m. near St. Clair Avenue West and Arlington Avenue, where the annual Latin American cultural festival was underway. Police recovered two firearms at the scene. Both deceased were confirmed to be men, and no arrests had been made as of a late-night news conference.
Officers initially urged the public to avoid the area before later declaring the scene secure. Barredo stated, 'There was some concern about an active shooter. That turned out not to be the case.' However, he emphasized that the two gunmen 'indiscriminately put vast numbers of people in danger.'
Reactions from Officials and Witnesses
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow expressed outrage: 'I'm deeply disturbed and angry about this reckless and irresponsible act of violence right in the middle of a festival attended by families.'
Witness Valerie Rodriguez said she was sitting outside a nearby restaurant when people suddenly began screaming and running. 'A bunch of people … told us to lay down onto the floor. We got scared because we didn't know exactly what was happening,' she recounted.
Festival vendor Patsy Gutierrez described seeing 'a huge wave' of people fleeing. 'Everybody started getting frantic and then we stopped serving. I don't think it should be something that's happening at these types of events,' she said.
Broader Impact
A large police presence remained around the festival, which draws thousands to Toronto's St. Clair West neighborhood for live music, dancing, food, and cultural performances. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was 'horrified' by the shooting and pledged full support for police efforts to apprehend those responsible. Ontario Premier Doug Ford expressed devastation over the 'senseless violence.'
Toronto, Canada's largest city, is among North America's safest major cities, with fatal shootings in public places being relatively rare. Barredo noted, 'Toronto is one of the safest cities in the world but we are 3 million people and unfortunately we are not immune.'
