A 24-year-old Toronto man shot and killed in the city’s Riverdale neighbourhood this weekend was previously charged with first-degree murder in a brazen shooting at a downtown Chinese restaurant that left a 31-year-old man dead in November 2014.
Police responded to a housing complex near Munro Street and Dundast Street East around 4 p.m. Sunday after a report of gunshots.
A man was found suffering from “obvious injuries” and was pronounced dead at the scene. An autopsy is scheduled for Monday and police have now identified the victim as Marcus Gibson, 24.
READ MORE: Surveillance video to pay key role in latest Riverdale homicide investigation
No arrests have yet been made but police said they expect surveillance video collected from the area will play a key role in the homicide investigation.
Const. Victor Kwong confirmed to Global News Monday Gibson was previously charged with offences including first-degree murder and robbery with a firearm in the shooting death of Tariq Mohammed, 31, of Mississauga, inside the Garden Restaurant at 153 Dundas St. West on Nov. 16, 2014.
Police responded to the shooting at about 4 a.m. and located three victims, Mohammed and two women, suffering from gunshot wounds inside the restaurant.
Investigators said Mohammed was in the restaurant with a friend when they were approached by a group of individuals who attempted to steal a necklace.
After the theft, police said the two men went back to their table and were followed by the suspects, when they got into another fight despite knowing the suspects were armed.
“Numerous shots were fired at the front of the restaurant which resulted in the death of the deceased. He was killed instantly at that point in time,” Det.-Sgt. Gary Giroux said in November.
“Two female patrons who were seated at the north side of the restaurant received their injuries from stray bullets.”
READ MORE: 2 more suspects charged in Garden Restaurant shooting that left 1 dead, 2 wounded
The two women were taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
Police say the restaurant was packed with between 60 to 80 people at the time of the shooting, and that around two dozen witnesses were interviewed.
Gibson, who was 22 at the time, and Ceyon Carrington, who was then 28, of Toronto were both charged with first-degree murder and robbery with a firearm in connection with the shooting.
WATCH: Toronto Police release security videos of fatal restaurant shooting
In June 2015, the charges against Gibson were stayed and he and Carrington were acquitted after the Crown found there was no reasonable prospect of a conviction in the case.
Clifton Vassel, 28, Havard McKenzie, 24, and Derek Oppong, 22, all of Toronto, were also charged in the Garden Restaurant shooting.
Vassel faced additional charges in a separate investigation into the shooting death of Andrew Surage, a 47-year-old father of five shot outside of an unlicensed after hours club at 325 Weston Rd. on Oct. 5, 2014. He also faced charges in a third incident after a shooting at a townhouse on Driftwood Avenue on April 16, 2015.
READ MORE: Suspect surrenders in Garden Restaurant shooting that left 1 dead, 2 wounded
The shooting of Gibson Sunday happened in the same Riverdale neighbourhood where 61-year old grandmother Peggy Ann Smith was shot and killed in August.
Investigators said they did not believe that Smith was the intended target and no arrests have been made in that case.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-5500 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477).
With files from The Canadian Press, David Shum and James Armstrong
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