Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, left, and Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw, right, hold Sophia Dunn as she falls to her knees on June 6 next to the spot where her son-in-law was fatally shot following a mass shooting in Etobicoke over the weekend. Seymour Gibbs, a father of six, died in hospital after two suspects open fired in the parking lot of a school.Sammy Kogan /The Globe and Mail
Dozens of community members, including the mayor of Toronto, the police chief, family members and several students, participated in prayer walk Thursday to remember the two people killed in a weekend shooting that also left three people injured.
The shooting happened in the area of North Albion Collegiate Institute in Etobicoke, on the west side of the city, on Sunday just before 11 p.m.
Police say a group of men were gathered in the parking area after a soccer game when a dark pickup truck arrived. Two suspects got out and began shooting at the men before fleeing in the truck, police said.
When officers arrived on scene, they found five victims suffering from gunshot wounds.
Police have not publicly identified any connection between the victims and the attackers.
A 61-year-old man, identified by police as Delroy (George) Parkes of Woodstock, Ont., died shortly after arriving in hospital. A second person, identified by his family as Seymour Gibbs, died four days after the shooting. The other three victims remained in hospital Thursday with non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
Police Chief Myron Demkiw declined to release further details about the case when he spoke to the media at Thursday’s event, citing the unresolved investigation.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said now was the time to support community healing.
“We won’t let these cowards strike fear in our hearts,” said Ms. Chow before Thursday’s prayer walk.
Rev. Carmen Lewis leads a prayer circle following a mass shooting in Etobicoke over the weekend that left two people dead.Sammy Kogan /The Globe and Mail
Rev. Carmen Lewis, who was a lead organizer of the event, addressed attendees as they gathered in a circle around the scene of the shooting.
“We pray against crime in the community,” she said. “We ask for hope and we ask for healing so students can go to school without fear.”
After Ms. Lewis’s remarks, Toronto Police’s chaplain, Rev. Wendell Gibbs, led the circle as several members of the community shed tears.
“Go love someone, go embrace someone,” Mr. Gibbs said. “When we hold hands in our community and sympathize, I empathize. I lost my mom and dad. I know the pain.”
The circle proceeded with songs, hymns and prayers. Everyone stood arms around each other – police, family members of the deceased and community members at large.
The day wrapped up with police serving a round of bagels and fruit for all community members who showed up in support.
Sophia Dunn embraces (left) Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw next to the spot where her son-in-law, Seymour Gibbs, was fatally shot,Sammy Kogan /The Globe and Mail
Solmeltha Gabriel, a resident who lives in a housing complex across from where the shooting occurred, said her community needs more than prayer circles.
“It was terrifying – no one could sleep that night,” Ms. Gabriel said. “Violence here is common.”
The fatal shooting incident was one of three over the weekend. In the preceding 24 hours, police said two random shootings occurred within less than 10 kilometres of each other.
The first shooting happened around 10 p.m. on Saturday, when a 20-year-old man was taken to the hospital with multiple gunshot wounds. The second shooting happened about eight kilometres away, where police said a 14-year-old boy was randomly shot at while walking out of an apartment building at around 2:40 a.m.
Earlier on Thursday, Toronto City Councillor Vincent Crisanti said in an interview that he believes the city needs more pro-active policing.
“We need more neighbourhood officers on the ground and we need them in a sustainable way,” said Mr. Crisanti.
He added that he has been a member of the Etobicoke community for more than 40 years and is devastated by the violence.
“It’s just unbelievable, there are no words to describe how my community feels,” he said. “They’re in tears. They’re absolutely fearful for their lives and are angry … Enough is enough, this has to stop.”
Rev. Stan White, a resident in the community for several years, said he has seen some of the victims frequently hanging out in the area.
“Those guys are playing soccer over there for years,” Mr. White said. “Everybody knows them.”
Louis March, founder of the Zero Gun Violence Movement, said people are living in fear and don’t want to come out at night.
“We need to invest in communities where we know that the likelihood of violence exists because the socioeconomics are not at their best,” Mr. March said. “I’m not talking about Band-Aid solutions but long-term investment in these communities.”
Though gun violence had fallen in Toronto over the past five years, that trend has reversed in 2024. There have been 193 shootings in the city this year – an 18-per-cent increase year-to-date, according to Toronto Police data.
A GoFundMe initiated by Mr. Parkes’s daughter has raised more than $12,000 to help cover funeral expenses and support the family navigating the tragic loss.
“Our hearts are broken, and our lives have been forever changed,” reads the campaign description. “My father was a beautiful human being who loved his family deeply. He was always kind, grateful, and willing to go above and beyond for everyone he met.”
Fatima Raza
Mariya Postelnyak