Peggy Ann Smith, who was affectionately known as “Nanny Peggy” to many children in a small corner of Riverdale, is being fondly remembered by friends and family after the 61-year-old grandmother was shot and killed Saturday evening.
“I just came to speak about what a good grandmother she is,” Smith’s young granddaughter Savannah told the media on Monday.
“She’d always read her Bible and pray for everyone good or bad. She’d always think about everyone.”
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Police were called to the Don Mount Court and Kintyre Avenue area, south-west of Broadview Avenue and Dundas Street East, around 6:15 p.m. Officers found Smith in an alley and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Police are looking to identify two males in connection with the incident, who were last seen running north toward Dundas Street East.
Sue Smith, Peggy Ann Smith’s niece, said her aunt wanted to live in more secure surroundings.
“She moved into an old-age apartment building … where she felt safer anyways, I guess, and then she came to visit here and succumbed to that,” Smith said.
“We need some stronger gun regulations, that’s for sure.”
Smith’s niece Kim Kramer described Smith as “a sweet soul.”
“Everybody loved her. She loved her family and her kids were most important,” she said.
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A GoFundMe campaign has also been created to honour Smith and raise money.
“Her angelic personality smothered the community bringing nothing but happiness to anyone she got the chance to know,” a statement on the GoFundMe page read.
“Peggy was a true angel who faithfully went to church and prayed for many souls daily. She had a positive impact on our whole community and really changed peoples’ lives.”
A vigil will be held at a makeshift memorial on Don Mount Court at 8 p.m. Monday.
Community organizer Joan King said although 55 Division police officers are in the neighbourhood regularly, she would like to see increased security.
King asked anyone involved to turn themselves in to police.
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“Whoever is watching and they know they did this, God be with you darling,” she said. “It’s not good. It could be a mom, it could be a grandmother – enough is enough.”
Mayor John Tory spoke about Smith’s death on Monday and said those responsible “have no respect for human life.”
“They have no respect for living in a city that is orderly where the vast, vast majority of people in this city want to live in a safe city where they wouldn’t think of committing any of these kinds of acts and that is why it’s so important that people come forward,” Tory said.
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Tory encouraged anyone who has information or may have seen “something out of the ordinary” to report it to police or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
“I hope that is something that people will search their conscience and search their hearts and decide even if it’s something they didn’t think was important that they saw that led to the loss of life or was part of the circumstances leading to the loss of life of this woman, that they will help out. Because we need their help.”
With files from Adam Miller, Mark Carcasole and Peter Kim
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