Two people have been arrested after a 21-year-old man with killed in a triple shooting that took place in a Toronto mall parking lot on Monday.
Police said the shooting happened at the mall, located near Don Mills Road and Sheppard Avenue East, just after 4 p.m.
When officers arrived, police said they found two men who had been shot in the underground parking lot.
One of the men, a 25-year-old, was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries. Another man, also 25 years old, was taken to hospital in non-life threatening condition.
A third man had also been shot but was dropped off at a hospital. He was pronounced dead a short time later.
He has been identified as 21-year-old Madar Hassan from Toronto.
Global News has learned that, in June 2020, when Hassan was 18 years old, he was charged in relation to an armed robbery and shooting in Peel Region.
At the time, police said two suspects approached a man as he was walking through a parking lot near Hurontario and Dundas streets in Mississauga. Investigators alleged Hassan exited a vehicle, demanded a man hand over his valuables while brandishing a gun. Hassan was also charged with allegedly shooting the victim in the leg. He reportedly fled but later turned himself into police.
Court documents obtained by Global News found that Hassan remained in custody as he awaited trial, and, in August 2022, a Brampton judge found him guilty of robbery, and possession of stolen property charges, but acquitted him on the weapons offences.
In November 2021, Hassan was given a four-year sentence. After credit for pre-trial custody, was left with a sentence of one year and 11 months. He was also ordered to have no contact with the victim and given a lifetime weapons ban.
Court records also show that at the time of his death, Hassan was wanted on a warrant for his arrest by Toronto police.
The charges he was facing included threatening death, possession of property under $5,000, dangerous operation of a motor vehicle and two counts of criminal harassment. The offence date on the court documents was Feb. 24, 2023.
Ari Goldkind, who defended Hassan in his trial, offered his condolences to the family.
“If his life and death do not speak to the epidemic of violence in this city, then I don’t know what will,” he told Global News. “One always hopes a client’s life will take a turn for the better. Unfortunately, this is not one of those cases.”
On Tuesday evening, Toronto police announced two arrests.
They said 25-year-old Ahmed Mohamad had been arrested and faces fives charges, including one of second-degree murder.
Samir Mohamed Unoos, also 25, has been arrested and charged with six offences, including second-degree murder and failure to comply with a release order.
Toronto Police Insp. Mike Hayles told reporters Monday that the incident occurred in the parking structure outside of the mall and that there is no information at this time to suggest there was any threat to those inside the shopping centre.
He also said several people were seen fleeing from the scene both on foot and in vehicles.
— With files from Global News’ Hannah Jackson and Isaac Callan