TORONTO — A man in northwest Toronto was shot dead in broad daylight as he was heading to the hospital with his newborn baby, police said Thursday.
Police said the man, whose identity has not yet been released, was getting into a vehicle with a baby approximately a month old and a female companion when he was gunned down in a drive-by shooting around 9:15 a.m.
"This family unit was in the process of getting into the vehicle to take their child to the hospital," Insp. Paul Rinkoff said at the scene.
Spokeswoman Const. Laura Brabant said it's not yet clear whether the man was the intended target, and no one else was hurt in the incident.
Two men were seen leaving the area in a late-model four-door sedan, she said.
While police believe there is no longer an immediate threat in the Lawrence Avenue West and Jane Street area, Brabant said the fact that the suspect remains at large is concerning.
"You've got a potential shooter out there with a firearm in a vehicle, going around shooting in the middle of daylight, so that's always a concern," she said.
The constable said the incident took place in a busy area that includes several schools, at a time when there would have been many people around.
"We're lucky no one was the victim of any stray bullets," she said.
Officers will be canvassing the area and seeking to speak with anyone who witnessed the incident or has security footage of the area, she said.
The Toronto District School Board said three schools were placed in lockdown during the investigation and would soon switch to the less serious hold and secure.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published on Oct. 1, 2020.
The Canadian Press
