Police search for suspects, motive in two North York bus stop shootings

Police say two shootings that took place within 24 hours at the same bus stop in northwest Toronto have the hallmarks of gang-related violence, but investigators cannot dismiss the possibility they were carried out randomly.

Toronto Police Insp. Peter Wehby says police are working to determine why a man and a youth were shot while they waited for a bus at Jane Street and Driftwood Avenue about 21 hours apart between Friday night and Saturday afternoon.

“What I can tell you about these shootings is that, although they appear to be random, investigators are presently working on the reason why these two individuals were targeted,” said Wehby. “But I’m not going to say that it’s not random at this point.”

“It’s not a normal thing to just shoot somebody who is standing at a bus stop, so this has hallmarks of gang activity. But I’m not going to say at this point that we can confirm its gang activity.”

Investigators say just after 3 p.m. on Saturday a man was waiting at a bus stop on Jane Street near Driftwood Avenue when he was approached by a man, believed to be between the ages of 18 to 30, who then shot him three times, twice in the stomach and once in the head, before fleeing the scene. The man was taken to a nearby trauma centre in critical condition where he was later pronounced dead.

Police say the same suspect is also wanted in connection to Friday night’s shooting in which a 16-year-old was shot in the face while standing at a bus stop on Driftwood Avenue. The victim in that case is currently in critical but stable condition in hospital.

Police have made no arrests and are still trying to determine how many suspects may be involved, but Wehby says investigators have located a black Acura RDX believed to be linked to both shootings.

Wehby adds police have stepped up patrols in the community in light of the ongoing safety risk and says the force is doing all it can to ensure residents stay safe.

“I understand that the community is going to be very, very concerned about this, we had two individuals shot in a similar location or in close proximity to one another within 24 hours,” he said.

Police have set up a command post at the Driftwood Community Centre and are asking anyone who may have information that can assist in the investigation to come forward.

Files from The Canadian Press were used in this report