York Regional Police tactical officers are seen in the lobby of a condo building in Vaughan, Ont., Sunday, Dec. 18, 2022. Police say multiple people are dead, including the suspect, after a shooting in an apartment building. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Arlyn McAdorey
VAUGHAN, Ont. – A source close to the investigation into a shooting that killed five people at a Toronto-area condo says the victims were found in different units in the building.
The source also says the suspected gunman, who was shot dead by police, lived in the building.
Ontario’s police watchdog has said the gunman suspected in the Sunday night shooting at the Vaughan, Ont., condo was a 73-year-old man.
Police had responded to reports of an active shooter around 7:30 p.m. Sunday and were met at the condo with a “horrendous scene,” Chief Jim MacSween said in late-night news conference.
Five people were found dead in the building and a sixth person was taken to hospital.
The Special Investigations Unit, which is probing the police response, said a York Regional Police officer shot the suspected gunman, who died at the scene.
“There was an interaction between an officer and the armed man in the building. The officer fired his gun and struck the man,” the SIU wrote in a statement. “Paramedics were called and the man was pronounced deceased at the scene.”
As day broke over the condo on Jane Street north of Rutherford Road, about 15 police cars and a large forensic identification truck remained outside the high-rise. The main entrance to the building was taped off.
Residents who were evacuated from the condo were able to return to the building early Monday morning.
In a statement posted online, Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca recognized the “brave first responders” who worked to “safeguard the situation”, while offering his condolences on behalf of the city to the victims’ families.
Police said their investigation is active and ongoing, while the SIU said six investigators, including two in forensics, have been assigned to probe the police response.
The SIU is called to investigate when police conduct may have resulted in death or serious injury.
The civilian oversight agency said a post-mortem was scheduled for Tuesday.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 19, 2022.
