AFP, TORONTO, Canada
Two people were killed and at least four others were seriously wounded in a shooting at a salsa festival yesterday that drew thousands of people in Toronto, Canadian police said.“There was an exchange of gunfire between two individuals, and two firearms were recovered,” investigators said.They emphasized the danger the apparent settling of scores could have posed to the more than 13,000 people attending the Latin music festival.
Police officers stand guard as emergency workers respond at the site of a deadly shooting at a salsa-themed street festival in Toronto, Canada, on Saturday.
“Two males have been pronounced dead” and “another four individuals have been transported to local hospitals with serious injuries,” Toronto deputy police chief Frank Barredo said.Police had initially referred to an “active shooter,” but “that does not appear to be the case,” Barredo said.
Asked about the perpetrators, he did “not rule out” that more people could have been involved than the two mentioned.“There have been no arrests at this time,” Barredo said.Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on X wrote that he was “horrified by the shooting that has killed two people at the Salsa on St Clair Festival in Toronto.”“My prayers are with the families grieving their loved ones,” he said.Carney also expressed his thanks “to the police officers and other first responders whose courage and fast action prevented further tragedy.”Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said she was “deeply disturbed and angry about this reckless and irresponsible act of violence right in the middle of a festival attended by families, children, seniors.”Jason Ferda, who was attending the festival, said he initially thought it was “fireworks.”“I was scared, I left,” he said.Another witness said a state of panic washed over the crowd.“Suddenly, everybody was running towards the stage, and everyone was like what’s going on and the police came and they stopped the music,” the witness said. “Everything happened so fast,” they added.
