TORONTO – Toronto police have suspended the practice of having paid-duty officers work at the Muzik nightclub in the wake of last week’s double homicide.
Police say the suspension will be in place until a security review and risk assessment is completed.
There were 10 paid-duty officers on site when the shooting took place in the early morning hours of Aug. 4.
But despite the large security and police presence, the shooter wasn’t deterred — with some officers in the line of fire when bullets started to fly.
Toronto Police Association President Mike McCormack told AM640’s The John Oakley Show on Monday that the risks of its officers getting injured at the venue is too high.
READ MORE: ‘Taken away from us too soon’: Muzik nightclub shooting victim laid to rest
“The concern for us, is there’s a threat to public safety or police safety and we just want to make sure we’ve mitigated all of those risks,” he said.
McCormack also lays blame on the rise in the city’s gun culture and the complete disregard of public safety.
“We are outside to keep the peace and ensure public order out on the street after the club has let out,” said McCormack. “And also to have a police presence which would hopefully is a deterrent for such activity, but obviously it doesn’t.”
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A man and a woman were killed around 3:15 a.m. after gunfire erupted at the OVO Fest after-party hosted by Toronto rapper Drake.
Duvel Hibbert, 23, was pronounced dead inside the nightclub’s outdoor patio area while Ariela Navarro-Fenoy, 26, was shot north of the Dufferin Gates. She later died in hospital from her injuries. Three others were wounded in the shooting.
READ MORE: Police identify victims in deadly Muzik nightclub shooting
In a statement released hours after the shooting, Muzik nightclub owner Zlatko Starkovski said 73 professionally trained security guards were on duty during the event.
Although it is unclear how weapons entered the venue, Starkovski said trained guards were responsible for conducting body searches and using metal-detecting wands on all guests.
There have been no arrests in the case but two persons of interest are currently being sought.
Police are also appealing for the public to come forward with any pictures or video of the shooting scene.
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