Two dead as gunfire erupts at Salsa on St Clair festival in Toronto
Developed over time first seen 1 month ago
Two people were killed and four others wounded when gunfire broke out at the Salsa on St Clair Latin festival in midtown Toronto, one of the city's largest annual street celebrations. Police received reports of an active shooter on St Clair Avenue at around 20:12 local time (01:12 BST), and officers found six victims with gunshot wounds, two of whom were pronounced dead at the scene. Investigators said the shooting stemmed from an exchange of gunfire between two individuals, with two firearms recovered, though no arrests had been made.
Toronto Deputy Police Chief Francisco Barredo described the scene as "very chaotic" and said an estimated 13,000 people were at the festival, with officers managing three separate crime scenes. The attack struck the 22nd edition of the festival, a celebration of live music and dance staged along St Clair Avenue's strip of shops and restaurants on 11 and 12 July. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was "horrified" by the shooting, while Ontario Premier Doug Ford condemned the "senseless violence" and called for those responsible to be brought to justice.
- Two killed and four wounded in shooting at Toronto's Salsa on St Clair festival.
- Police say two individuals exchanged gunfire; two firearms recovered, no arrests.
- Around 13,000 people were attending the festival's 22nd edition.
New here? Start with this
Two people died and four were hurt when shots were fired during Salsa on St Clair, an annual outdoor Latin music and dance festival held along a stretch of shops and restaurants in midtown Toronto. Now in its 22nd year, the festival is one of the city's biggest street celebrations, drawing large crowds, with police estimating around 13,000 people were present when the shooting happened.
Police believe the gunfire came from an exchange between two people, rather than a single attacker firing at the crowd, and two firearms have been recovered from the scene. No arrests have yet been made, and officers are treating the area as multiple separate crime scenes as they investigate.
The shooting has drawn reaction from Canada's national and provincial leaders, reflecting concern over gun violence at a major public event. It raises questions about safety at large community festivals and how such gatherings are policed, which is likely to shape discussion as more details emerge.
More coverage
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by BBC World as “At least two killed in Toronto street festival shooting”.