A late-night mass shooting in the parking lot of North Albion Collegiate Institute has left one person dead and four others injured, sending shockwaves through the local community and prompting a significant police investigation.
The incident occurred just before 11 p.m. on Sunday, when gunfire erupted outside the high school located near Kipling Avenue and Mount Olive Drive. According to Toronto police, a group of about 15 to 20 individuals had gathered after a soccer game to socialize when the shooting took place.
The sound of multiple gunshots startled area residents, many of whom mistook the noise for fireworks. “I was about to go to bed when I heard several loud noises,” a nearby resident recounted. “At first, I thought it was fireworks, but then I saw the ambulances and police.” Nearly 50 evidence markers were placed at the scene as officers scoured the area for clues.
The local community, densely populated with apartment buildings and including a nearby community center and police station, has been deeply affected by the incident.
Toronto police have established a command post at the scene and are conducting a thorough investigation. Detective Sergeant Philip Campbell of 23 Division provided an update, stating that the police are still in the early stages of their investigation. “From what I understand, it’s just a group of men that were gathering after playing soccer in the afternoon, really just socializing and enjoying the fresh air,” he said.
Campbell confirmed that the deceased was a man in his 50s, while the four injured individuals, who have been hospitalized with serious injuries, are also older men, ranging in age from 40 to 60.
Detective Sergeant Campbell noted that it is too early to determine whether the shooting was targeted or if some of the victims were inadvertently caught in the gunfire. “There’s still a lot of things we have to look into,” he said. “We don’t have the answers to those questions yet. Our team has been working on this since last night, and we’re looking at all possible evidence and conducting interviews.”
As a result of the ongoing police investigation, North Albion Collegiate Institute and its on-site daycare have been closed. School safety officers are present on campus, and authorities are urging anyone with information about the incident to come forward.
As the investigation continues, Toronto police are appealing to the public for any information that could assist in identifying the suspects and understanding the motive behind this tragic event.