Man fatally shot in vehicle in North York, two wounded in stabbings

Toronto homicide detectives are investigating an early-morning shooting death near Downsview.

Just before 5 a.m. Wednesday, emergency crews were notified of a shooting on Stilecroft Dr., near Keele St. and Sheppard Ave. W., just across from Grandravine Park and community centre.

“When the officers arrived on scene, they located a 50-year-old male suffering from an upper-body gunshot wound,” Insp. Mandeep Mann told media at the scene.

The victim, he said, was found sitting in a beige full-size van parked along the residential street.

Rushed to Sunnybrook, he died in hospital.

Police identified the victim as Joseph Hart of Toronto.

“We have limited information at this point on suspects, but we do believe it was a dark-coloured vehicle involved in this incident, and it was last seen travelling eastbound on Stilecroft towards Keele St.,” Mann said.

Toronto’s 47th homicide of 2020 took place in an otherwise quiet neigbourhood, the van with its shot-out driver’s-side window parked askew alongside broken glass and trash cans set out for garbage day.

Forensics officers spent the morning photographing and gathering evidence from the van.

Toronto Police examine a van after a man was fatally shot on Sept. 2, 2020.
Neigbours approached by the Sun were reluctant to speak about what happened, but Mann did say police believe the victim lived in the neighbourhood.

“While we’ve been here, several of the residents have come out and spoken to me personally. I’ve assured them that there is no public safety threat and we will have a strong presence in the area for the time being,” Mann said.

Mann said this appears to be a targeted shooting and is appealing for anyone with information or CCTV footage to contact police or Crime Stoppers.

Meanwhile, a man was rushed to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after a stabbing near Markham Rd. and Tuxedo Crt. in Scarborough just before 8 p.m. Tuesday.

According to Const. Jenifferjit Sidhu, an argument involving the man and a woman turned physical.

Police found the man with multiple stab wounds.

Investigators are looking for a Black woman, 35, and 5-foot-8 with black hair.

Further west in the city, in Willowdale, a man was also taken to hospital after another stabbing Tuesday night.

Police arrived in the Doris Ave. and Finch Ave. E. area around 10:30 p.m. and found a man with stab wounds who appeared to be the victim of a street robbery.

Sidhu said a man and woman were approached by multiple men and the couple tried to flee.

“The man was stabbed multiple times, the woman was not injured,” she said.

He was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

According to CP24, investigators are looking for four suspects, but no arrests have been made.
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