Advertisement

Witnesses described ‘carnage’ after Toronto mass shooting, says gunman was ‘zigzagging the Danforth’

Click to play video: '‘Bullets everywhere’: Toronto shooting witness describes being pushed to the ground'
‘Bullets everywhere’: Toronto shooting witness describes being pushed to the ground
ABOVE: Toronto shooting witness describes being pushed to the ground – Jul 23, 2018

Witnesses described the “carnage” in Toronto’s Greektown after a man opened fire Sunday night, killing at least two people and injuring 12 more on The Danforth.

As investigators search for answers as to why a 29-year-old gunman opened fire at around 10 p.m., killing at least two people, the Danforth community is left stunned following the mass shooting.

Investigators named Faisal Hussain as the shooter. A statement from the Hussain family said he suffered from mental illness, and offered their condolences to the victims.

A motive for the shooting isn’t yet known.

READ MORE: Toronto shooting video shows alleged Danforth Avenue shooter pulling gun and shots heard

Andreas Mantzios was having coffee with friends when the shooting started. He says he saw several people struck by gunfire and blood everywhere.

Story continues below advertisement

“It was horrible. You don’t expect this on Danforth of all places,” Mantzios told Global News.

WATCH: Witness describes suspected gunman ‘zigzagging’ across street
Click to play video: 'Toronto shooting: Witness describes suspected gunman ‘zigzagging’ across street'
Toronto shooting: Witness describes suspected gunman ‘zigzagging’ across street

Mantzios said the gunman “executed” a woman as she was trying to flee the area, adding the gunman shot the victim multiple times as she lay on the ground.

Police are seen near the scene of a mass shooting in Toronto, July 22, 2018. Reuters/Chris Helgren

“A lady tried to run and she fell by the tree and he went ‘Boom, boom, boom,’ three times,” Mantzios said while gesturing with his hand.

Story continues below advertisement

The man said he was about three and half metres away from the gunman.

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.

Get breaking National news

For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen.
By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy.

“The guy … had this look on his face, while I saw his profile, like he was screaming at something and shooting,” Mantzios said.

WATCH: Witness describes seeing Danforth gunman ‘execute’ woman ‘point blank’
Click to play video: 'Witness describes seeing Danforth gunman ‘execute’ woman point blank'
Witness describes seeing Danforth gunman ‘execute’ woman point blank

Mantzios said the gunman moved onto the south side of the street began shooting again.

“He was shooting randomly to kill as many people as possible and my friend he saw him change the clip, he emptied the first clip and put in a second one and kept continuing shooting,” Mantzios said.

Video posted on social media shows the suspected gunman walking on a sidewalk dressed in black, wearing a black baseball cap, while carrying a black bag, before opening fire on a location on Danforth Avenue.

Story continues below advertisement

READ MORE: What we know about the suspect in Toronto Danforth mass shooting

“I saw him pull out a gun and start shooting through a window,” a witness told Global News. “He probably fired about five shots at Demetres [cafe]. … I watched him continue down the street.

“He was literally zigzagging, just one guy, zigzagging on the Danforth, going from the south to the north, and wherever he saw people, he would just start shooting,” the witness said.

WATCH: Toronto mass shooting witness says up to 30 shots fired by suspected gunman
Click to play video: 'Toronto mass shooting witness says up to 30 shots fired by suspected gunman'
Toronto mass shooting witness says up to 30 shots fired by suspected gunman

Police said 12 people were injured as a result of the shooting. A woman said she was sitting on a patio as the incident erupted. “right in front of my face.”

“I just saw bodies going down and I just got shoved to the ground,” the panicked witness said.

Story continues below advertisement
People leave an area taped off by the police near the scene of a mass shooting in Toronto, Canada, July 22, 2018. Reuters/Chris Helgren

Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders said early Monday that police arrived at the scene and quickly identified the suspect, who was armed with a handgun. An exchange of gunfire ensued, and Saunders said the shooter likely died of gunshot wounds.

READ MORE: Taste of the Danforth organizers call mass shooting ‘senseless act’

A statement by the Special Investigations Unit (SIU), an independent agency that investigates police-involved incidents resulting in death and serious injury, said a man was walking along Danforth when he fired shots at groups of people several times. He was on Bowden Street and an exchange of gunfire took place.

The man then fled the area and was found dead on the Danforth, the SIU said.

WATCH: Toronto residents stunned by deadly mass shooting outside their homes
Click to play video: 'Toronto residents stunned by deadly mass shooting outside their homes'
Toronto residents stunned by deadly mass shooting outside their homes

“I just saw carnage,” Michael Ryan said. “Like everything you see on TV, it starts hitting you that this is actually happening in front of your apartment.”

Story continues below advertisement

Witnesses told Global News that some people were still holed up in pubs and restaurants as of 1:50 a.m. Monday, nearly four hours after the shooting was first reported.

Sunday night’s mass shooting comes almost exactly three months after the van attack in the city’s North York area that left 10 dead.

Sponsored content

AdChoices