TORONTO – An alleged argument over a parking spot sparked the mass shooting in Scarborough that killed two people and injured 23 others at a Toronto Community Housing complex on Danzig Street, according to people close to Toronto’s gang community.
Late Monday night gunfire erupted at a community barbeque on Danzig Street in Scarborough.
Toronto Police Chief Bill Blair said shortly after the shooting that the actions were “strongly suggestive” of gang involvement.
On Friday, two aspiring musicians who say they are trying to free themselves from gang associations told Global News that people started shooting because of an argument over a parking spot.
“It wasn’t like a turf war kind of thing it was just like an altercation some guys being drunk parking space issue,” Quran Francis said. “That’s what created the issue at the party it was an issue over a parking space, some guy told him to move, he didn’t want to move.”
According to Francis, the person who asked the other to move his car was 19-year old Nahom Tsegazab – the only person charged in connection with the shooting so far.
Sources tell Global News that Tsegazab began shooting after he was hit, and that his bullets did not hit anyone – though Tsegazab has not yet pled guilty or not-guilty and any allegations that he was at all involved in the shooting are unproven.
There may have also been at least two other shooters, according to sources.
Fourteen-year-old Shyanne Charles, and 23-year-old Joshua Yasay were both killed in the crossfire.
“It sounds pretty dumb. Not gang related… It was literally just an issue of some guy wanting to move his car and 25 people shot you know. It’s pretty dumb that things like that can ruin an entire community,” Francis said.
Four days after the shooting, on Friday afternoon, blood still stains wood above the parking spots at the Toronto Community Housing Complex.
Francis, who currently lives near Galloway Road, has lived in Malvern, and Chester Le and tells Global News that he has many connections to Toronto gang members, but is coming forward to try to stop violence.
“A lot of people have not wanted to speak out because they’re afraid to,” Francis said. “We’re trying to just stop the violence.”
Global News has learned that members of several different gangs were present at the community barbeque on Monday, including members of the Galloway Boys and the Chester Le Crew.
Nineteen-year-old Nahom Tsegazab has been charged with reckless discharge of a firearm in connection with the shooting – though police suggest that that charge is not related to either homicide.
Police are continuing their investigation.
Comments