A 14-year-old boy is facing first-degree murder charges after a “mass shooting” outside a Toronto school earlier this month left two people dead and three others hurt.
Toronto police made the update Monday after the June 2 shooting probe, which happened in the parking lot of North Albion Collegiate Institute, captured the city’s attention.
Seymour Gibbs, 46, and Delroy George Parkes, 61, were killed in the shooting.
“These senseless acts of violence have resulted in the deaths of two innocent people, and families who will forever be devasted by the loss of their loved ones,” said Det.-Sgt. Phillip Campbell at Monday’s update.
“This was a mass shooting in our city, and we now know there are likely individuals out there who can tell us the identities of the other people responsible for these murders.”
Victims were socializing in parking lot before shooting
At the time, police said the victims were gathered at the school after playing soccer earlier in the day, “really just socializing, enjoying the fresh air,” when two suspects pulled up in a dark pickup truck, got out, and began firing.
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Emergency crews were called to the scene at around 10:53 p.m. that day. When they arrived, they found five people injured with gunshot wounds. The victims were all men ranging in age from around 40 to 60 years old.
They were taken to hospital, and Delroy died there, police said. Gibbs died from his injuries in hospital a few days later. Three of the victims had non-life-threatening injuries.
At the time, police said they were looking for a black or dark-coloured newer model pickup truck. Two suspects believed to be involved in the incident were wearing dark clothing.
The shooting happened in “a fraction of a minute,” police said, adding officers don’t believe there was an exchange of gunfire.
At Monday’s update, Campbell told reporters the boy was arrested during a stolen vehicle investigation.
According to police, a stolen truck collided with an empty parked vehicle in the same area in the early morning hours on June 3.
The boy reportedly tried fleeing but was arrested after a short foot chase. After investigating, police alleged the boy was one of the suspects in the shooting.
He was charged with two counts of first-degree murder, and seven counts of attempted murder. He was scheduled to appear in court on Monday.
A motive for the shooting remains unclear, but the investigation remains ongoing.
Campbell appealed for the public’s help.
“We know you do not want these senseless acts of violence taking place in your city where innocent people are being killed,” he said.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7400, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477.
— with files from Ryan Rocca
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