Arrests have been made following a reported fatal shooting in the village of Omemee on Tuesday afternoon
Around 1 p.m., City of Kawartha Lakes OPP responded to an apartment building on King Street for reports of a man suffering from a gunshot wound.
According to Const. Carrie Lanning, a man was located and transported to hospital where he succumbed to his injuries.
Late Tuesday night, OPP identified the victim as Alexander Tobin, 18, of Omemee.
Witnesses provided investigators descriptions of two suspects who Lanning said were “quickly located and arrested.”
No arrest details or charges were provided as the suspects from the Toronto area remain in custody, Lanning stated in a release.
Shortly after the alleged shooting, a woman – who claims to be a tenant in the apartment building – told Global News at the scene that she heard a commotion. She said she knows Tobin who “just got out of high school.”
“I heard a bunch of banging going on,” she said. “I thought it was neighbours fighting but apparently two kids got thrown down the stairs.
“Two pictures fell off my wall from the banging.”
She said she saw two young males running out the building and then across Highway 7. She said they got into a car and left the scene.
Another witness tells Global News the victim was covered in blood as he was being taken out of the apartment by paramedics who were performing CPR.
“He didn’t look good,” said the longtime Omemee resident. “They put him in the ambulance and headed towards Peterborough.”
Two nearby schools — Lady Eaton Elementary School and Scott Young Public School — were for the second time that day placed under hold and secure around 1:40 p.m.
The hold and secure — which involves locking exterior doors while classroom routines and lessons continue — was lifted around 2:45 p.m.
The schools were initially placed under hold and secure from 8:30 a.m. to 10:50 a.m. following reports of gunshots in the area. However, OPP said those claims from students in the morning were unsubstantiated.
“Police want to reassure the community that there is no connection between this incident and the occurrence earlier this date that resulted in two schools being placed into a hold and secure situation,” said Lanning.
Investigators are requesting persons who may have witnessed the incident on King Street to contact OPP at 1-888-310-1122 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 (TIPS) or online.
— With files from Jessica Nyznik Global News Peterborough