Peel Regional Police say the 2019 shooting deaths of a 17-year-old boy and a 28-year-old man in Mississauga are tied to a gang dispute and investigators have released several videos in the hopes of appealing for new information.
Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah, Deputy Chief Nick Milinovich and Supt. Martin Ottaway also announced two arrests in connection to one of the murders at a news conference Tuesday morning.
Jonathan Davis, a Grade 12 student at Lincoln M. Alexander Secondary School, was outside a Darcel Avenue apartment building (near Goreway and Morning Star drives) with several other residents on the evening of Sept. 14 when investigators alleged seven suspects wearing dark-coloured clothing mostly armed with semi-automatic handguns fired almost 140 rounds of ammunition.
Police said Davis, who was believed to be a bystander, was shot and killed.
Duraiappah said officers recovered 141 rounds in the highly populated neighbourhood. He said there was an ice cream truck present with many children and families outside at the time of the shooting.
“They probably engaged in the largest single gang shooting in Ontario,” Duraiappah said.
“It is absolutely brazen.”
Five people were taken to hospital with various injuries. Four of the injured victims are between 13 and 17 years old. A 50-year-old woman also sustained serious injuries. Police said the shooting caused “life-altering injuries” to one of the victims.
Investigators said two men were arrested and charged for their involvement in the incident.
On Thursday, 19-year-old Safeer Ahmad was charged with conspiracy to commit murder. On Sunday, 21-year-old Jahvon Valdez surrendered to police and was charged with conspiracy to commit murder as well as unauthorized possession of a firearm.
The service released a video of the first shooting on Tuesday, asking the public for help in apprehending the other suspects involved.
In the video, a large group of people can be seen around the building when two vehicles pull into the parking lot. A large group of men with guns come out of the vehicles and almost immediately begin to fire as people attempt to run and/or hide.
Police said they do not believe Ahmad or Valdez are connected to the second shooting.
It was previously announced by police that officers believed those filming a music video were the targets of the shooting.
Davis’s death sparked a large outpouring of emotion from community members. Family and friends described him as smart, noting he made the honour roll, and passionate about electronics and fixing things. Davis was also remembered as a devoted older brother to two sisters and a supportive son.
“No justice will ease the pain of losing our son. No justice will ease that pain but we want those who are responsible for this horrible crime be arrested and face justice so no other family will have to experience the pain they are experiencing,” a joint statement from Davis’s parents on Tuesday said.
“We need to get these guns off our streets.”
More than a month later, police said emergency crews were called to a Highway 410 off-ramp at Derry Road with reports of a shooting.
On Oct. 22, investigators said Brampton resident Giovanni Delahaye was fatally shot and two others were injured after the vehicle Delahaye was a passenger in exited the highway to go onto Derry Road when another dark-coloured vehicle approached it and multiple gunshots were fired.
Police said Tuesday that the two shootings were linked forensically and are both connected to gang activity, but the involved gangs weren’t named.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Homicide and Missing Persons Bureau at 905- 453–2121, extension 3205 or Peel Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.
—With files from The Canadian Press
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