TORONTO – An 18-year-old Toronto man has been charged with two counts of first degree murder and 26 other charges in connection with the mass shooting on Danzig Street that killed two young people and injured 23 others.
Eighteen-year-old Shaquan “Bam Bam” Mesquito was arrested in July and initially charged with uttering threats prior to the shooting.
Now, charges against Mesquito have been upgraded to include two counts of first degree murder, one count of attempted murder, 24 counts aggravated assault and one count of reckless discharge of a firearm.
On July 16, several members of the Galloway Boys gang attended the community barbeque on Danzig street in Scarborough and “took ownership” of the barbeque, according to police.
One of them, Nahom “Gifted” Tsegazab, a member of the gang and the first person arrested in relation to the murder, was bragging on Twitter that he was hosting the “blocko” and had Hennessy cognac for all his guests.
Violence erupted at the peaceful barbeque after a squabble between members of the Galloway Boys and their traditional rivals from the Malvern area of Toronto.
Get breaking National news
The young men from Malvern were asked to leave after the confrontation, but returned shortly with more people “to seek revenge for being turned away from attending the barbeque,” according to Toronto police Staff Inspector Greg Mclane.
Another confrontation occurred, resulting in a shootout in the middle of the barbeque.
Fourteen-year-old Shyanne Charles and 23-year-old Joshua Yasay were killed during a mass shooting at a community barbeque on Danzig Street in Scarborough that police say shows a “complete disregard for human life.”
“This was an attack on the perceived level of safety and security on the entire Danzig community,” Mclane said at a press conference on Thursday.
A wide-ranging police investigation was launched following the shooting that called in resources from across the Toronto Police Service.
Tsgazab was arrested shortly after the shooting and charged with reckless discharge of a firearm.
Police are now looking for two persons of interest who may be involved in the shooting.
The two persons of interest, whose sketches are above, may be involved in the shooting or may just be witnesses, police said.
They are both described as black males in their 20s, one of whom has a “noticeable” scar under his left eye.
Police are also calling on witnesses and residents of the Danzig community to come forward to police.
Members of the Danzig community were checking people for guns, or “G-checking” police said, and police are looking to speak with those members of the community which turned away the Malvern Crew gang members.
“We are also doggedly pursuing all of the people responsible for this,” Toronto police Chief Bill Blair said. “We need the public’s help.”
Police are also looking for people who may be able to identify the Malvern Crew members who came back to the shooting.
- Freezing conditions pause search after remains found in Smiths Falls missing person case
- Police watchdog investigates after man shot dead by officers in Brantford, Ont.
- CAS security guard testifies at trial for woman charged with toddler’s death
- Driver who towed sledders in parking lot faces stunt charge: Guelph police
Comments