‘Cowardly act’: 2 shooters fired indiscriminately into busy Toronto plaza, killing bystander, police say

September 7, 2024 Canuck

A university student from Brampton was killed when two shooters fired indiscriminately into a crowded plaza in Toronto last month in what police say was a “cowardly act.”

On Saturday, Toronto police provided an update into the Aug. 27 shooting that occurred in the area of Sheppard Avenue West and Abraham Welsh Road, east of Weston Road.

Det. Sgt. Brandon Price of the homicide unit said three suspects arrived at the plaza in a vehicle.

“The suspect driver remained in the driver’s seat as two shooters exited the vehicle and fired numerous rounds indiscriminately in the direction of the far parking lot in the east end of the plaza,” Price told reporters on Saturday.

He said the plaza was busy at the time, teeming with people who scrambled to take cover when gunfire erupted.

Arslan Ahmad, who was visiting a friend in the area and was in the plaza to buy some items, was struck by gunfire. He suffered critical injuries and was transported to the hospital, where he died six days later.

“This individual was a university student in the last days of the summer break,” Price said. “So totally an unfortunate tragic circumstance that befell him.”

Price said another person also sustained non-life-threatening injuries in the shooting.

Meanwhile, the shooters returned to the vehicle and sped away. They were last seen travelling south on Weston Road.

Police have limited descriptions of the two shooters. One has a thin build and wore dark pants, dark shoes, a dark hoodie, and a mask at the time. The other is described as being taller than the first suspect, with a thin build and wearing a grey hoodie, dark pants, dark shoes, and a mask.

The suspect vehicle is a newer model white RAV4 with a black roof, black rims, tinted windows and believed to have a vanity plate.

Price said prior to the shooting, the suspects were driving around the area for several minutes.

“This cowardly act of these individuals firing a hundred-meter distance with pistols is completely ridiculous and dangerous to like dozens of people in that area at the time,” the homicide detective said, noting that many stores were open at the time.

“These are unbelievably upsetting, and they’re just so dangerous for so many people. It’s so careless and cowardly of the individuals carrying out this kind of behaviour.”

Price asked anyone who was in the area at the time and may have video or other information to contact police or Crime Stoppers anonymously.

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