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A 21-year-old man is dead after a shooting in east-end Toronto overnight Monday.
Toronto police responded to a call about a shooting in the Washburn Way and Tapscott Road area, near Lester B. Pearson Collegiate Institute, just before midnight.
Det. Andy Singh told reporters officers located a male victim suffering from gunshot wounds. Singh said he was pronounced dead on scene.
He has been identified as Venojan (Veno) Suthesan or Toronto.
Police said he was a resident in the area and that he was travelling on foot when the incident occurred.
Singh said there was a very short interaction before Suthesan was shot and he may have been targeted.
He said Suthesan had returned home from work at about 11 p.m., left again a half-hour later and it’s believed the suspect was waiting for him in a schoolyard.
Singh said the suspect may have been picked up by a dark-coloured car that was seen circling the area and, at one time, was parked in the school parking lot.
A man, who identified himself as the victim’s cousin on Monday, told reporters Suthesan was a “good kid” and a “straight-A student on the honour roll” who went to Schulich School of Business in North York. He said he was on his way to speak to police to get more information.
Councillor Neethan Shan called the situation “unfortunate” to reporters Monday morning.
“My heart goes out to the family members of the young person who was killed in the incident and my thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the individual,” he said.
Shan said there has been some indications of violence in the area dating back to last summer that has some members of the community “concerned.”
“But I don’t think it’s something widespread so we are just making sure we take proactive steps — it’s about doing things in a timely manner,” he said, adding the community has been gathering and discussing safety-related concerns in the neighbourhood.
Singh said the school is closed for the day while officers investigate.
The Toronto District School Board confirmed the closure, as well as another senior public school in the area, but tweeted students will be relocated to other schools for the day.
“Due to this morning’s ongoing police investigation in Scarborough, classes at Lester B Pearson CI are being relocated to Albert Campbell CI, while classes at Dr Marion Hilliard SPS are being relocated to Berner Trail JPS,” the tweet read.
“Please note that classes for students who are bussed to Lester B Pearson CI for Special Education programs are cancelled for today due to special circumstances and are not being relocated.”
Anyone who may have seen Suthesan, the suspect or the vehicle, is asked to contact police at 416-808-7400 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477.
— With files from The Canadian Press
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