Suspect shot dead by Toronto police after schools locked down over reports of man with rifle

A person is useless after being shot by police, placing an finish to afternoon lockdowns at a number of faculties throughout the Port Union space of Scarborough.

Nonetheless, police stay tight-lipped about what really occurred close to Maberley Crescent and East Avenue.

Toronto Police Chief James Ramer spoke from the scene for roughly 10 minutes on Thursday afternoon, saying he was “prohibited” from sharing particulars as the province’s police watchdog, the Particular Investigations Unit (SIU), is investigating the case.

Preliminary studies stated the person was strolling within the space with a rifle, police stated. Ramer acknowledged tensions have been significantly excessive provided that solely two days earlier a gunman entered a Texas elementary college classroom and killed 19 youngsters and two academics.

An SIU spokeswoman stated preliminary particulars to this point point out that two law enforcement officials fired their weapons on the suspect, who was pronounced useless on the scene.

An extended barrel firearm was recovered, she stated, nevertheless it’s too quickly to substantiate whether or not the person was holding the weapon when officers shot him.

The Texas bloodbath was on the thoughts of native resident Roderick Brereton, who stated he first realized one thing was amiss when he noticed police automobiles “racing … very, very a lot on an pressing matter.”

In response to police, a number of residents referred to as 9-1-1 shortly earlier than 1 p.m. with studies {that a} man in his late teenagers or early 20s was within the space with a rifle. Callers described him as carrying a white ball hat and a three-quarter size coat.

Brereton stated it was perhaps 5 minutes after he first noticed law enforcement officials that he heard gunfire. He heard the person was taken away on a stretcher and that it appeared as if they have been doing CPR.

Shortly after 2 p.m., police reported that: “There is no such thing as a wider menace to public security.”

Joseph Howe Senior Public Faculty, Sir Oliver Mowat Collegiate Institute, Charlottetown Junior Public Faculty, Centennial Street Junior Public Faculty, and William G. Davis Junior Public Faculty went into lockdown as a precautionary measure, the police chief stated.

Charlottetown, Centennial, and William G. Davis have been quickly moved into maintain and safe, based on the Toronto District Faculty Board. Which means the day continued as regular inside however the faculties’ outer doorways have been locked as a precautionary measure.

“Police have been confronted by a person,” Ramer stated.

He stated no person is believed to have suffered any bodily accidents, however that assets might be made out there because of “how traumatic this should have been for some folks.”

Inaaya Zaman, who’s in Grade 5 at William G. Davis, stated she realized the lockdown wasn’t a drill when it lasted longer than 20 minutes.

“There was a mass taking pictures in Texas and that was actually unhappy, so figuring out about this particular person that’s armed, it appears like they have been going to shoot the college and I used to be feeling actually tense,” she instructed CBC Information after her father picked her up.

She stated among the college students have been “terrified” of constructing noise, in order that they used a whiteboard to speak to one another.

“It felt scary,” agreed Anela Limanosk, who’s additionally in Grade 5.

Meagan Ryder stated she was at dwelling when she first noticed hearth vans go by. She did not suppose a lot of it till the college’s chat group began to buzz.

“It was just a little alarming,” she stated, holding her son Grayson near her as she spoke.

Grayson stated the principal instructed the scholars to maintain quiet, so the third grader discovered a hiding spot that he shared with a pal.

He stated the daddy of one in every of his associates noticed a person “with a gun on his shoulder.”

“We’re fairly blissful we’re heading dwelling,” his mom stated.

Ramer stated Toronto police “will step up patrols within the space.”