At least two people have been killed in gunfire at a street festival in Toronto. Police in the Canadian city initially received reports of an active shooter on St Clair Avenue at approximately 20:12 local time (01:12 BST), where a salsa festival was being held.
Six victims with gunshot wounds were found by police, who said two people had been pronounced dead at the scene.
At a press conference hours after the shooting, police said there had been an exchange of gunfire at the festival between two individuals, and two firearms had been recovered from the scene.
Police were yet to arrest anyone in connection with the shooting, and investigations were ongoing.
Toronto Deputy Police Chief Francisco Barredo described the scene as “very chaotic”, and said there was an estimated 13,000 people at the festival when the shooting happened.
He said police were managing three separate crime scenes in connection with the shooting, and the public would be updated once more information was available.
People were told to stay away from the area, where a large police presence remained. Anyone with information in connection with the shooting, including witness statements, have been urged to call police.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was “horrified” by the shooting, and offered his prayers to “the families grieving their loved ones, those who are in critical condition, and everyone who has been affected by this horrific event”.
Doug Ford, the Premier of Ontario, condemned the “senseless violence” at the salsa festival, which he confirmed had “claimed two lives and injured others”.
“The person responsible must be caught, brought to justice and spend the rest of their life behind bars,” he wrote in a statement on X.
He thanked first responders who attended the scene, adding his thoughts were with “the victims, their families and everyone affected”.
St Clair Avenue, located in midtown Toronto, is lined with shops and restaurants.
Between the 11 and 12 July, it was set to host the annual Salsa on St Clair Latin festival, a yearly celebration which features a host of live music and dance performances.
This year was the festival’s 22nd iteration.
By BBC News
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