During a meeting on community safety Tuesday evening, Hodan Ali recounted how she heard the gun shots that killed her teenage son days ago.
“Every time I come out into the hallway and see the stairway where he died, I feel something. My heart is bumping and shaking,” she told residents.
“He started living life now and that life they took away.”
On Thursday, emergency crews were called to a building on Falstaff Avenue near Jane Street at around 1 a.m. after receiving reports of gunshots.
When police arrived, officers found 16-year-old Hanad Ali suffering from a gunshot wound in a stairwell. He died at the scene.
Less than a week after his death, officials from Toronto Community housing, Toronto police and the area councillor gathered for a meeting with residents.
READ MORE: 16-year-old boy dead following overnight shooting at North York apartment, police say
“I think we really have to step up Toronto housing and protecting the tenants, especially the buildings where there are issues,” said Coun. Frances Nunziata.
Kevin Marshman, CEO of TCH, said changes are currently underway to make residents feel safer, including lighting upgrades and the installation of licence plate cameras.
“We are going to have full-time security officers as part of 2195 Jane and Falstaff complex, so that there are officers circulating through those locations all through the night,” Marshman said.
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He added a safety audit will also be conducted in partnership with police so residents can identify security concerns.
Chief Mark Saunders said safety requires help from community, adding residents need to work with officials.
“It has to be collective,” he said.
“We have to work in partnerships. Community solves crimes. Street gangs will not shoot when police are around. They will wait until they are gone and that’s when the community needs to help us.”
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