Four suspects face more than 100 charges after mass shooting in Toronto

TORONTO –Four people are facing more than 100 charges after a shooting near Jane and Finch Thursday evening that sent five people to hospital.

Toronto Paramedic Services responded to a shooting in the Jane Street and Driftwood Avenue area at 5:50 p.m.

Police said the investigation into the shooting led to one suspect being shot by police after a pursuit on Elmhurst Drive, west of Islington Avenue. The man wounded by police remains in serious condition in hospital Friday.

The altercation took place about 25 minutes after the shooting at a townhouse on Driftwood Avenue, as the suspect sat in a car in the area of Islington Avenue and Rexdale Boulevard.

Toronto Police Sgt. Steve Hicks said officers arrived to a chaotic scene following the shooting.

“There were a lot of people running around… a lot of people in the community here concerned, waving us on and when we arrived we found five victims that had been shot,” said Sgt. Hicks.

Police on Friday released the names of the four suspects who are facing 112 charges combined.

Akeem Bailey, 25, is charged with 30 offences; Clifton Vassel Youria, 29, is charged with 36 offences; Maurice Smith, 21, is charged with 25 offences, while Daniel Duarte-Alvarez, 20, of Mississauga, is charged with 21 offences. Each of the suspects has been charged with five counts of attempted murder and various weapons offences.

The incident has left a community troubled by violence in the past asking questions.

“We thought we were making progress and seeing transformation but there is much more work to be done,” said one neighbourhood resident.

Mayor John Tory spoke to reporter outside city hall Friday and said the city stands with the “law-abiding, hard-working people” who live in the area affected by the shooting.

“These incidents are traumatizing for many people kids and adults alike and I want them all to know that we here at city hall but also we the community the people of Toronto stand with them,” said Tory.

The Special Investigations Unit is conducting an investigation into the incident involving the officer who shot one suspect and has eight investigators and three forensic investigators on the case. The SIU is an arm’s length agency that investigates reports involving police where there has been death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault.

Investigators are asking anyone who may have information regarding the case to contact the SIU at 416-622-0748 or 1-800-787-8529 Ext. 1872.

*With files from Angie Seth