Abdul Kerim Bayer was sitting in a parkette with a group of friends on a warm Sunday evening in Toronto’s Danforth neighbourhood when gunshots rang out causing a scene of mass panic.
“Everything happened in front of my eyes, all people run out in different ways,” Bayer told Global News.
Bayer said he and his friends were sitting on a bench at the Alexander the Great parkette on the north side of Danforth Avenue near Logan Avenue when a man in dark clothing started shooting at unsuspecting victims.
“The shooter started to shoot the girls. I was hiding behind the bench, where I was sitting,” Bayer said.
“After that, the girl in front of me, he shot. He changes the magazine.”
READ MORE: Toronto gunman had ‘severe mental health challenges,’ according to family
It was at that moment Bayer said he attempted to intervene with the shooter just one metre away, and perhaps stop him in his tracks. But he said fear overcame him.
“So I was trying to get a chance to attack him, to try and stop him,” Bayer said.
VIDEO: Witness describes seeing Danforth gunman ‘execute’ woman point blank
Bayer said one of his friends, who was grazed by a bullet, ran over to the woman who was shot, but the shooter came back again and fired another round at her.
“He was trying to help the girl. She was still alive,” Bayer said. “He was trying to pull her behind the car. But the shooter shot her again. One more time, maybe more. I don’t know.”
READ MORE: Toronto Danforth mass shooter identified as Faisal Hussain
The woman, who was later identified as 18-year-old Reese Fallon, died in the attack. A 10-year-old girl was also killed in the shooting rampage and 13 others were injured.
The shooter, identified by investigators as 29-year-old Faisal Hussain, died following an exchange of gunfire with police.
“I’m just feeling a little bit guilty myself. I could have stopped the guy. I could do that, but I didn’t,” Bayer said.
VIDEO: Victims of Danforth shooting mourned, questions about suspected gunman remain
For those directly involved in a tragic incident like the Greektown shooting, the most common emotions expressed are usually anger, fear and guilt — “the guilt of ‘I shouldn’t have gone there’ or ‘I should have left early’… or ‘I should have done more,’” Kiran Brar of Victim Services Toronto explained.
“We talk people through it. So it’s having a conversation that supports and is empathetic, but also talks about the reality of the situation or any of those things that are adding to their stress.”
Brar said the Victim Services Toronto crisis hotline had received about 80 calls by midday Monday from people seeking counselling in the wake of the shooting.
Dr. Katy Kamkar, a clinical psychologist at the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health, said engaging in “proactive coping strategies,” such as maintaining their daily routine, practising self-care and seeking support by staying connected with family and friends, helps with the post-traumatic stress.
VIDEO: Teacher of Danforth shooting victim Reese Fallon remembers her as a ‘magnanimous benevolent kid’
Bayer said he is still haunted by Sunday’s shooting and questions if he could have done more.
“I was going to try. Even like one second, if I had the chance, but the guy was so fast,” he said.
“He was shooting very relaxed. He didn’t have any hesitation.”
The Victim Services Toronto crisis line can be reached by calling 416-808-7066.
VIDEO: Witness describes Toronto Danforth shooting scene
—With files from Jamie Mauracher and The Canadian Press
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