Toronto street festival horror as two people killed after shooter opens fire at Salsa
A shooter opened fire at the Salsa on St. Clair street festival in Toronto’s west end on Saturday evening (July 11), killing two people and injuring five others – the suspect remains at large
Police officers blocked off the public from entering into the festival area(Image: AP)
Two people have died and five others suffered gunshot wounds after an active shooter opened fire at at a street festival in Toronto. The gunman remains at large, with emergency services scrambling to understand what transpired at the long-standing Latino-themed cultural festival in Ontario’s capital on Saturday (July 11)
Toronto Police spokesperson, Shannon Eames confirmed that two people had died and five others had been shot near St. Clair Avenue West and Arlington Avenue, where the Salsa on St. Clair Festival was taking place.
Emergency services were called to the scene of the annual event just after 8pm local time. With the shooter still on the loose, police have issued a warning to locals, urging Canadians to stay alert. A significant police presence remains near the salsa festival in Toronto.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford has 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 stated on X.
He expressed his gratitude to the first responders who attended the scene, adding that his thoughts were with “the victims, their families and everyone affected”, reports the Mirror.
The festival is an annual celebration of Latin American culture that draws thousands of people to the city’s St. Clair West neighbourhood for live music, dancing, food and cultural performances.
Toronto, Canada’s biggest city with 3.2 million residents, also ranks amongst North America’s most secure urban centres.
Across Canada, deadly mass shootings remain rare. This stands in sharp contrast to its neighbour to the south, the United States of America, which experiences significantly elevated levels of gun violence.
According to NPR, the USA logs more than 40,000 firearm fatalities each year, while Canada generally witnesses fewer than 300. Firearm possession is only permitted in Canada through a rigorous licensing framework, compulsory safety training, and background screenings.
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