Story highlights Investigators on scene of Monday shooting that resulted in a person’s death
Security officials with Metrolinx escorted people from the area
After hearing a single gunshot, a couple told the police they believed they’d witnessed an act of terrorism, sources told CNN
Tearful members of the community gathered on Thursday evening to honor one of the first victims of violence that has rocked Toronto over the last week.
Less than 24 hours after a violent incident on Aug. 11, Toronto police confirmed that a single gunshot death earlier in the day was a homicide, CBC News reported. The victim has been identified as 31-year-old Romeo Santos. The victim and shooter have not been identified publicly.
A male suspect was shot and is in stable condition, police said.
The incident took place at about 9:20 p.m. on Aug. 11. Santos was shot in the neck and taken to hospital, where he later died.
City officials told Toronto’s CTV News the shooter opened fire on several people at a bus stop near Toronto’s Pearson International Airport, the same airport Santos had flown into in recent months. Santos had been living in Chile for about a year and had returned to Toronto to see his mother, CNN affiliate CP24 reported.
But by the time police arrived, Santos was dead, according to CTV News.
Part of the investigation, police said, is to determine if Santos was targeted or if he was injured in the incident.
One of Santos’ sisters told reporters he “heard the gunshots, then he felt it — it was a big one.”
The shooting sparked allegations that Santos had been targeted because of his status as a Muslim, according to CNN affiliate CP24.
However, none of the family members reached by the affiliate could provide any facts to support such allegations.
The most recent shooting is the 15th shooting in Toronto over the last week, according to CP24. Santos was one of three people killed by gunfire in Toronto during the period. A 28-year-old man was killed by a single gunshot on Aug. 11; that shooting occurred less than a day after Santos was fatally shot.
Two others were killed: a 26-year-old was killed in a shooting on Aug. 5 and a 46-year-old man was killed in a shooting on Aug. 9.
The alleged gunman in Santos’ shooting is a 22-year-old man who lived in a high-rise apartment with his family, CP24 reported. The network did not identify the man or his home.
The suspect had attended a party with friends and was looking for someone else before the shooting, CP24 reported.
When he spotted Santos, investigators said, the suspect picked up a gun from his home and fired several shots at the victim.
CNN has been unable to verify the report that the shooter was looking for someone else.
An investigation into the shooting is ongoing, and no charges have been filed, police said.
A Metrolinx spokesman confirmed that security officials escorting people out of a residence when shots were fired on Monday evening had an encounter with the alleged shooter.
Sensing the potential for someone to be injured, they immediately called police to report the encounter. The suspect, who still had a gun in his possession, exited the residence after they provided security information and proceeded to flee, the spokesman said.
Since Santos’ death, a number of social and community events have taken place, including a vigil on Thursday evening at a park where a bus stop is located.