Man, 27, dead after being shot in front of newborn baby in North York

Toronto police say a man has died after being shot early Thursday in North York in front of his newborn baby.

Emergency services responded to a call about a shooting on Patika Avenue, in the area of Lawrence Avenue West and Jane Street just after 9:15 a.m.

The 27-year-old man was pronounced dead on scene.

Police said the man and a woman were in the process of taking their one-month-old child to the hospital for a visit when the man was shot. Investigators said the woman and child were not injured.

“The man in this company of his newborn child and his female companion,” Insp. Paul Rinkoff said. “As they approached their vehicle, the suspects approached them and there were gunshots directed towards the victim.”

Rinkoff said the victim was shot at least one time.

He has since been identified as Hamdi Zakarie of Toronto.

A four-door sedan was seen leaving the area eastbound with potentially two suspects in the vehicle, police said.

In an update Friday, officers said surveillance video suggests the suspects “had been in the area some time prior waiting for Hamdi Zakarie to exit his house.”

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“This is a brazen daylight shooting. It’s horrific. It’s the time of day when parents are taking their kids to school, when people are going to work … this is not tolerated,” Rinkoff said.

Police said three schools in the area were in hold-and-secure but that was later lifted.

The homicide unit has taken over the investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police.

—With files from Shallima Maharaj and Ryan Rocca