A dozen people were injured in a shootout at a pub of Eastern Toronto in what police called a reckless violence act by three men who entered the bar and fired randomly without warning.
Superintendent Paul Macintyre from the Toronto Police Service said that police received numerous emergency calls that they denounced a shootout at the Piper Arms at around 10.40 pm on Friday.
A preliminary investigation determined that three men entered the pub and began to shoot customers, said Macintyre during a press conference at the scene. There were no immediate arrests.
« A male was armed with what appears to be an assault rifle, the other two men were armed with guns and entered the bar, produced weapons and opened the people indiscriminately on the people sitting inside, » said Macintyre, who added that there were no fatalities.
Christopher Katsarov / AP
Police arrived at the scene and found 12 people suffering from various injuries. The victims were transported to local hospitals, and six were confirmed to have shot wounds that did not endanger their lives, said Macintyre, calling the « extremely lucky » victims. The remaining six victims were injured to fly and broken glass.
The reason was not immediately clear, said Macintyre, calling the shooting « an act of shameless and reckless violence that really shaken our community and the city itself. »
Macintyre said he and other officers were « horrified » for what they saw in a security video. « These boys only looked at the ground and opened fire, » he said.
McADORE / AP
Shortly after the shooting, police said that a suspect wearing a black balaclava was fleeing in a silver car and was still largely after the shooting. People were warned to get away from the area.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said he had talked to the police chief Myron Demkiw and was told that « all the necessary resources » had been deployed.
« This is an early and ongoing investigation: Police will provide more details, » Chow wrote on social media. « My thoughts are with the victims and their families. »
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