Shooter dead after killing one woman and injuring 13 others in Canada

A gunman opened fire in central Toronto on Sunday night (July 22), killing a young woman and injuring 13 other people including a child, before turning the gun on himself, police said.

Global News quoted a Toronto police source as saying the suspect is believed to have opened fire at police before killing himself. Earlier reports said nine people had been shot.

In a media update at the site of the shooting, Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders said 14 victims were shot with a handgun and that one female adult has died. A young girl is in critical condition, he added.

“We are looking at all possible motives... and not closing any doors,” Chief Saunders told reporters.

The police said they had responded to a call at around 10pm (0200 GMT Monday) in the Greektown district of Canada's biggest city, which has many popular restaurants, cafes and shops.

Toronto police Sgt. Glenn Russell told CNN the shooting happened outside a restaurant on the corner of Logan and Danforth Avenues.

The Toronto Sun reported that numerous ambulances were dispatched to the scene, where police, firefighters and bystanders attended to a number of injured seen laying on the ground.

The victims have been sent to trauma centres throughout the city, according to Mr Russell.

Witnesses described to local media hearing about 20 shots and the sound of a weapon being reloaded several times.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford tweeted out a message of solidary with the victims, saying: “My heart goes out to the victims and loved ones of the horrific act of gun violence in Toronto. “Thank you to all the first responders for acting quickly to help everyone affected.”

The incident comes with Canada’s largest metropolis concerned over a spate of shootings, more than 200, this year. About two dozen have been fatal.

Toronto is grappling with a sharp rise in gun violence this year. Deaths from gun violence in the city jumped 53 per cent to 26 so far in 2018 from the same period last year, police data last week showed, with the number of shootings rising 13 per cent.

Toronto Mayor John Tory told reporters that the city has a gun problem and guns were too readily available to too many people.

Canada traditionally has relatively low levels of gun violence, particularly compared with its neighbour the United States.

Source: The Straits Times