Durham Regional Police say five people have died after a shooting in an east Oshawa, Ont., home early Friday.
Const. George Tudos told reporters emergency crews received several calls about a shooting at a home on Parklane Avenue, just east of Harmony Road North, at around 1:20 a.m. He said officers from multiple divisions, including a tactical unit, arrived at the home within minutes.
“When they arrived on scene, they actually did also hear what they believed to be gunshots coming from a residence,” Tudos said.
He originally said there were four victims inside the home when officers made the “grisly discovery,” but later said a female victim was found dead — bringing the total number of fatalities up to five.
“We now have five victims. We have five deceased inside the residence. This was confirmed by our forensics officers who were able to gain entry into the residence under the coroner’s authority,” Tudos said.
Family identified the victims as Chris Traynor, a teacher at Monsignor Paul Dwyer Catholic High School in Oshawa, and his three children: Bradley Traynor, a student at the University of Guelph, Adelaide Traynor, a Grade 10 student, and 11-year-old Joseph Traynor.
The injured woman was identified by family as 50-year-old Loretta Traynor, who is the mother of the children and Chris’s wife. Police said she was taken to hospital with a serious, but non-life-threatening gunshot wound. Loretta also works as a teacher. A fourth child, who family members said attends Queen’s University, was not home during the time of the shooting.
He said it appears that a long gun was used in the shooting. There was also a white Ford F150 with Manitoba plates parked the wrong way in front of the home, which investigators later seized.
Global News learned the truck belonged to the children’s uncle and Loretta’s brother, 48-year-old Winnipeg resident Mitchell Lapa. Police said he was uninvited into the home.
Lapa was the lone suspect in the investigation and officers said he died of a self-inflicted gunshot wound. A source told Global News Lapa was estranged from his sister and the two had been fighting over their late father’s will.
Winnipeg police sources told Global News officers were searching a Dalhousie Drive apartment under a warrant in connection with the incident.
Michele Heroux said she has lived in the neighbourhood for almost 30 years. She said she woke up and was startled, adding she thought the shots were fireworks.
“Then as it repeated, I counted up to 10, I thought, ‘What is that?’ And then I came to the front and I could hear screaming and I realize it was coming from across the street,” she said.
Heroux described the family who lives at the home where the shooting occurred as “amazing.” She reflected on the shooting and her neighbourhood, emphasizing it has been a great place to live.
“Devastated… This doesn’t happen on Parklane Avenue. This has always been a quiet, family, dead-end street and to now have such a horrific tragedy happen here … Never have I ever experienced anything like this,” Heroux said.
“This is an isolated incident for sure. I’ve never seen that vehicle before on the street. We pride ourselves of keeping an eye on each other and watching the neighbourhood if something is suspicious.”
Another neighbour told Global News she and her husband also heard the gunshots.
“I heard loud banging noises … and it didn’t sound like a gun, I didn’t know what that was,” Liz McIntosh said.
“It was banging and then a pause and then more banging and a female was screaming.
“Then I heard the sirens and police were coming… they were all bent down with their guns pulled and it was very frightening to see.”
McIntosh, along with her husband Cliff Chow, said they used to say hello to the family every so often and had brief conversations.
“This was a very nice, quiet, cordial family. The kids were polite. It’s the last family you’d think there would be any issues with,” she said.
“I feel awful for this family, how heartbreaking. It’s just horrible.”
Friends and family dropped off flowers and candles in front of the home Friday evening.
— With files from Katherine Ward and Sean Boynton