‘We are unsafe’: Residents react to double shooting in Regent park

A 54-year-old man is dead and another is in hospital after a double shooting in Regent Park early Saturday morning.

Toronto police said officers responded to calls about sounds of gunshots in the River and Gerrard area, just after 1:20 a.m.

Officers located two male victims suffering from gunshot wounds. One man was pronounced dead on scene.

The other victim was transported to hospital where police told Global News he is expected to survive.

Arafa Amour, who lives in the neighbourhood, told Global News she was awoken to the sound of gunshots.

“I see the ambulance and everything. It was really scary. I couldn’t sleep to be honest,” she said.

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Amour said she was so scared for her three small children who have to see incidents like this one. She said that she and her kids will be staying at her sister’s home.

This isn’t the first incident of this kind in the neighbourhood, either.

Faruk Khan told Global News that along with other residents, she feels unsafe “because anything can happen at any time.”

Det. Jeffrey Tavares told reporters Saturday afternoon that police do not believe this was a random act.

“From what we were able to gather so far, the offender is walking towards the group with some sort of purpose, which would make me believe that it wasn’t a random act,” he said.

Tavares said the deceased did not live in the complex and was there visiting friends. He was not known to police.

Residents of the community have been helpful so far in the investigation, but Tavares encourages anyone else with information to contact Toronto Homicide or Crime Stoppers.

Bruce Malloch, spokesperson for Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC), told Global News in a statement, “Our thoughts are with the family and friends of the deceased, and the Regent Park Community at this difficult time.

“Toronto Community Housing is committed to the safety of our tenants, and we co-operate fully with Toronto Police Service.”

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Malloch said TCHC staff are currently in the neighbourhood to help police and to support tenants.