Shooting in northwest Toronto leaves 2 men wounded, 1 with life-threatening injuries

A shooting in northwest Toronto has left two men injured, one with life-threatening injuries, Toronto police say.

The shooting occurred in the area of Jane Street and Yorkwoods Gate, south of Finch Avenue West. Emergency crews were called to the scene at about 8:25 p.m.

Police said they received reports of about 10 shots fired.

When officers arrived on the scene, they found two victims. The second victim has serious but non-life-threatening injuries.

Toronto paramedics took both men to a trauma centre on an emergency run.

Const. Allyson Douglas-Cook, spokesperson for the Toronto Police Service, said the shooting damaged parked cars.

Officers have located several shell casings on the ground. Several units, including the canine unit, are on the scene, she said.

Police have not released the ages of the victims.

Barry Rieder, a community minister with the United Church of Canada, says the shooting occurred on a plaza.

“It’s very unfortunate that these situations end up happening,” he said.

“It takes away from the very positive things that are happening in the community. We have been working several years now to decrease the gun violence, but unfortunately throughout the whole GTA now, we seem to be immersed with a rash of shootings.”

Rieder said the church provides support for families of victims of gun violence as part of its crisis response.

“Unfortunately, there is a high degree of unemployment here in the Jane-Finch community,” he added. “And a lot of it is race based. It’s difficult for black male youth to find jobs and hold those jobs down. We are just trying to create more economic opportunity for the youth so they don’t get up caught in gang life,” he said.

Jane Street is closed in both directions from Grandravine Drive to Yorkwoods Gate. Motorists and pedestrians are urged to use an alternate route.