At least two people dead, 14 injured in Toronto shooting

 

Police are seen near the scene of a mass shooting in Toronto, Canada, July 22, 2018. (Reuters)

A gunman and one victim is dead after a man shot 14 people, including a young girl, in the Toronto neighborhood known as Greektown late on Sunday, police said.

“Other than the shooter we have a young lady that is deceased,” Toronto police chief Mark Saunders said.

Saunders also said a nine-year-old girl was in critical condition and fighting for her life in hospital.

A video from one witness shows a man dressed in black clothes and a black hat walking quickly and firing three shots from the sidewalk into at least one shop or restaurant.

Toronto’s Greektown is a lively residential area with crowded Greek restaurants and patio cafes.

TRT World‘s Arabella Munro reports.

Toronto Councillor Paula Fletcher told local media she heard that the gunman was emotionally disturbed.

“It’s not gang related. It looks like someone who is very disturbed,” Fletcher said.

Councillor Mary Fragedakis also said she heard the gunman was disturbed.

Fletcher said for this to happen in an area where families gather for dinner is a tragedy.

“We were so use to living in a city where these things didn’t happen,” Toronto Mayor John Tory said.

“But there are things that happen nowadays and they are just unspeakable.”

TRT World spoke to Canadian journalist Jeff Harrington.

Mass shootings are rare in Canada’s largest city.

This past weekend Toronto police deployed dozens of additional officers to deal with a recent spike in gun violence in the city.

Tory said the city has a gun problem.

“Guns are too readily available to too many people,” Tory said.

Police urged people to come forward with video or witness testimony.

The mass shooting comes a few months after a driver of a van plowed into pedestrians on a Toronto sidewalk, killing 10 people and injuring 14.

Authorities have not disclosed a motive.

But they have said the arrested driver, Alek Minassian, posted a message on social media referencing a misogynistic online community before the attack