Toronto festival cancelled after shooting leaves 2 dead, multiple people injured

An update from the Toronto fete shot shot

2 people killed in Toronto festival shooting

Cergio Maldonado was working at the Taco Love station at the festival close to the scene of the shooting when chaos erupted. 

He said the festival was very busy at that time, but then he suddenly heard three shots ring out, followed by two more. Seconds later, people started running.

Some people ran into the store where he was, yelling that there'd been a shooting and that someone was on the ground. 

Maldonado said "it was creepy" that just five minutes later, people who had run away from the scene went back to record what was happening on their phones.

"As if nothing happened, everybody was walking like normal," he said. "Just in the centre where [an injured person] was, it was packed with people recording."

About 30 minutes later, Maldonado said, police started shutting the area down and asking people to leave. 

Salsa in Toronto, the group that organized the Salsa on St. Clair event, confirmed that the festival is cancelled today "due to the complex police investigations at the scene."

"Our thoughts are with the families of the two persons killed, those who were injured, and everyone affected by this senseless violence," the group said in an Instagram post.

The Toronto Transit Commission posted on social media that the 512 St Clair streetcar will be replaced by a bus for the stops between St. Clair and Oakwood and St. Clair West station. 

Westbound buses will detour to get around the closed off crime scene by going to Bathurst Street, Davenport Road, and then on to Oakwood Avenue before returning to St. Clair Avenue. 

Festivalgoers described a chaotic scene after shots were fired last night, with people running and screaming as police converged on the area.

Valerie Rodriguez said she was sitting next to a restaurant when she saw people fleeing. "A bunch of people ... Told us to lay down onto the floor," she said. "We got scared because we didn't know exactly what was happening."

Patsy Gutierrez, a vendor at the Salsa on St. Clair festival, said she was serving customers when she saw "a huge wave" of people running.

"Everybody started getting frantic, and then we stopped serving," she said. "I don't think it should be something that's happening in these type[s] of events."

There are several lines of yellow police tape blocking off much of the area to pedestrians and vehicles, she said. 

Surveying St. Clair Avenue W., Mercedes said the street is littered with garbage and over 50 evidence markers, including two indicating abandoned shoes. It's also obvious the festival wrapped up in a hurry, with vendors' tents still up and hastily covered with tarps, she said.

She said festivalgoers also ran out in a hurry, as there were forks sticking out of open food containers and unopened cans left abandoned. 

There's an overwhelming smell of garbage in the air, which she said could likely be from the food and drink seen spilled all over.

Filipino BC, a non-profit Filipino community group in British Columbia, expressed support for all those affected by the shooting. 

The group said that after the Lapu-Lapu Day car-ramming in Vancouver last year, in which 11 people were killed and dozens injured, "we came to understand how violence at a cultural celebration leaves wounds that reach far beyond those who were present."

"No community should have to experience violence while celebrating its culture," the group said in a post on Instagram, adding that "every cultural festival should remain a place of joy, belonging, and hope."

"We need to continue to figure out how to do that more safely, and that's what we need to be focusing on," he said.

The city councillor noted many children and families were attending the festival or live just steps from where the shooting happened.

Matlow said he spoke with parents who were "really scared and really upset" after the shooting, adding that some children had been asleep in nearby homes only metres from the crime scene. 

He said he had difficult conversations with his 13-year-old daughter about what had happened.

"It's going to be an ongoing conversation," Matlow said. He said he wants his daughter and everyone else in Toronto to continue feeling safe attending community events and that "most people are really kind and wonderful out there."

Matlow said city staff, police, faith leaders and community organizations will work together to provide support for residents in the coming days. He plans to host a community meeting to help residents process the tragedy and discuss next steps once investigators have determined exactly what happened.

The streets were filled with people dancing and a fun vibe earlier in the day when he was at the festival. Matlow said it was "surreal" to return later in the evening to see helicopters flying overhead and dozens of police shutting the area down.

"What was this fun animated space just hours before, was a crime scene right in the heart of our community," he said. 

He urged people to not go down to the area, which is closed off between Arlington Avenue and Winona Drive on St. Clair Avenue W. 

Matlow said the quick reaction by emergency responders was the one comforting thing to come out of Saturday's horrifying events. He thanked emergency responders for their "remarkable" support.

As police continue their investigation at the scene, the popular annual salsa festival has been cancelled for Sunday, said Matlow on X.

 It was initially scheduled to take place both Saturday and Sunday.

Of the two people left dead yesterday, he said, one person was pronounced dead at the scene and the second later died in hospital. 

Despite videos circulating on social media of possible arrests related to the case, Loomans said no one has been arrested in connection with the investigation. 

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