Witnesses, residents recount aftermath of Toronto festival shooting that left 2 dead, multiple people injured
The Latest
- Two people were killed and four went to hospital with gunshot wounds after a shooting at Toronto’s Salsa on St. Clair festival Saturday evening.
- Police say about 13,000 people were attending the event when gunfire broke out shortly after 8 p.m. near St. Clair Avenue West and Arlington Avenue.
- Investigators believe at least two people exchanged gunfire while moving through the crowd.
- Police recovered two firearms and established three crime scenes, but no arrests have been made.
- There is no ongoing threat to the public, police say, but ask that people avoid the area.
UPDATE: What we know after fatal shooting at Salsa on St. Clair festival
Business owner recounts letting people inside during St. Clair shooting
Reporter’s update from night of shooting at Toronto’s Salsa on St. Clair festival
Pinned
Shooting at Toronto street festival leaves 2 dead, multiple injured
Two people were killed and four others suffered gunshot wounds after gunfire erupted Saturday evening at Toronto’s Salsa on St. Clair festival, one of the city’s largest annual celebrations of Latin culture.
The shooting happened shortly after 8 p.m. near St. Clair Avenue West and Arlington Avenue, where police estimate about 13,000 people were attending the festival.
Toronto police say investigators believe at least two people exchanged shots while moving through the crowd. Deputy Chief Frank Barredo said two firearms have been recovered and officers are investigating three separate crime scenes. No arrests have been made.
“This seemed to be an exchange of gunfire between individuals, targeting each other. Obviously indiscriminately putting vast numbers of people in great danger,” Barredo said.
“But an active shooter is something we put out because we weren’t sure in the initial … few moments of what it was. It turned out not to be an active shooter in the classic state sense of the words.”
Witnesses described a chaotic scene as festivalgoers, including children, ran for cover, with some taking shelter inside nearby businesses. Paramedics treated victims at the scene before transporting several people to hospital.
Police say there is no ongoing threat to the public, though they are asking people to continue avoiding the area while investigators gather what they expect will be extensive video evidence.
Updates
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July 12
Local restaurant owner’s patio was full when gunshots were heard
Harsh Chawla, owner of Pukka, helped customers take cover in his restaurant following the sound of gunshots at Toronto’s Salsa on St. Clair festival. (CBC) Stories keep trickling out, detailing how local businesses responded to the chaos that ensued at the festival.
Harsh Chawla, owner of Pukka restaurant, was one of the affected business owners. He told CBC News Network that his patio was full of customers when he heard gunshots.
“We all ducked,” he said. As soon as the shooting stopped, Chawla says he brought people inside to make sure they were safe.
“We brought in as many people as we could.”
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Bagel shop gives back to devastated community to bring ‘a little bit of joy’
A St. Clair Avenue bagel shop decided to shut down today and hand out free food to the community to counter the feelings of fear and negativity.
Co-owner Dara Gallinger said Arthur’s Snackette, which opened just three months ago, is closed for the day to respect the victims and the devastation felt by residents.
“It didn’t feel right for us to open as usual because our vibe is usually really happy, with music and families,” she said
But with bagels already made and ready to go, the team decided instead to hand out free bags of bagels to bring “a little bit of optimism” to residents this morning, said co-owner Ari Zuckerbrot.
“We figured we may as well feed the neighbourhood in the community and bring a little bit of joy to the day,” he said, adding they plan to take some bagels to police at the scene, too.
“It’s hard to feel good about your city, your neighbourhood when things like this happen. But there is so much good happening here and so we want to remind people of that,” said Gallinger.
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Toronto police chief promises ‘relentless pursuit of those responsible’
Toronto police Chief Myron Demkiw is shown during a news conference in Aurora, Ont., in this file photo from Feb. 5. (Evan Mitsui/CBC) Toronto police Chief Myron Demkiw publicly commented on the tragic shooting this afternoon, promising police will be “relentless in our pursuit of those responsible.”
“All the necessary resources are being made available to our investigative teams,” his statement said.
He called the shooting at the family-friendly community even an act of “brazen violence” and said it’s “heartbreaking and unacceptable.”
“My thoughts are with the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives, and with everyone affected by these senseless acts of violence,” he said.
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Butcher shop owner reconsiders future participation at festival
Mazza said they’re reconsidering participating next year and questions if the festival should happen at all after the shooting.
“This moment kind of just crushed it for us,” she said, adding people are drinking more at the event and that there wasn’t enough police during the festival.
“We just don’t feel protected.”
To the suspects behind the shooting, Mazza said they “ruined” the festival for everybody in the community.
“I think they just reacted and … were just thinking of themselves,” she said.
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St. Clair butcher shop became safe haven for frightened residents after shooting
Macelleria Atlas, a family-run butcher shop, became a safe haven for many after owner Angela Mazza let people inside during the chaotic moments of a fatal shooting at Toronto’s Salsa on St. Clair festival Saturday evening.
A butcher shop on St. Clair Avenue became a safe haven for many residents moments after shots rang out. Angela Mazza, owner of Macelleria Atlas, said she ran into the store with her mother, Anna Maria, a friend with a baby and several people who were in the vicinity.
“We locked the door behind us … just to make sure that everybody was safe. It was a really scary, shocking moment for all of us,” she said.
Anna Maria said the shop has been part of the festival every year since it first began in 2005 and that the shop has been in the community for over 60 years.
She began to tear up as she spoke of the impact Saturday’s event would have on the community: “It’s beautiful to be part of [the community],” she said. “We did our best. We did.
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Resident says neighbours rushed to help terrified festivalgoers
A police officer asks the crowd to move away from the scene following a shooting Saturday at the Salsa on St. Clair street festival in Toronto. (Cole Burston/Reuters) A Toronto resident who lives near the Salsa on St. Clair festival says neighbours sprang into action to help frightened festivalgoers after a crowd fled the sound of gunfire Saturday evening.
Lindsey Petrus said she and her husband were outside speaking with neighbours when “a sea of people” suddenly rushed into their cul-de-sac.
“People were yelling, ‘Shooter,'” Petrus said. “My neighbour pulled me behind his car to duck and get some cover.”
She said the crowd included “old people, young people, families,” and “everyone was just in a state of chaos and panic.”
Petrus said she relied on her first-aid training to help people who had been injured while running from the scene, including two teenage girls who had been trampled.
“I just immediately clicked into first-aid mode,” she said. “I was cleaning out elbows and knees, whatever people needed.”
She said neighbours brought out water, offered people their cellphones to contact loved ones and tried to comfort those separated from family members.
“There were people who were actually vomiting because they were so anxious and worked up,” Petrus said. “One girl was calling her mom just crying, saying, ‘Mommy, I want to go home.’ It was unlike anything I’ve ever seen in my life.”
