Two killed in mass shooting at Canada’s largest Latin street festival in Toronto, police say

Tragedy Strikes Toronto’s Premier Latin Celebration as Gunfire Claims Two Lives

Violence Erupts Amid Festival Crowds

Two killed in mass shooting at Canada – Chaos descended upon one of Canada’s most vibrant cultural gatherings on Saturday when at least two individuals engaged in a deadly exchange of gunfire. The incident occurred during the Salsa on St. Clair festival, which draws approximately 13,000 attendees annually as the nation’s largest celebration of Latin heritage. According to Toronto Police Service Deputy Chief Frank Barredo, who addressed reporters at a late Saturday news conference, six people were struck by bullets during the confrontation. Tragically, two of those victims lost their lives, while four others sustained serious injuries requiring hospitalization. Both deceased victims were identified as men.

Barredo explained that investigators have established three separate crime scenes in the vicinity of the shooting. Law enforcement officers successfully recovered two firearms from the area. Despite the violence, the deputy chief emphasized that there is currently no ongoing danger to the general public. He characterized the incident as an exchange of gunfire between two individuals who were specifically targeting one another, though the bullets “indiscriminately put vast numbers of people in danger” during the confrontation.

Witnesses Describe Terrifying Scene

Footage captured by CTV showed festivalgoers fleeing along sidewalks as yellow police tape restricted access to the area. Scores of black police SUVs and patrol vehicles, along with heavy-duty armored vehicles and ambulances, rushed toward the scene. Joanna Lavoie, a journalist covering the event for Canadian media outlet CP24, described how the atmosphere shifted dramatically once gunshots echoed through the festival grounds.

“The mood instantly changed,” Lavoie told CP24, a CNN affiliate. “Everyone was just in disbelief and fear. It was a terrifying situation. We’re here to have fun … we didn’t expect anything like this to happen, and it was the last thing we expected.”

Lavoie also recounted witnessing a woman who appeared to have been shot and was suffering from significant injuries. Another attendee, Valerie Rodriguez, shared her experience with the Associated Press. She was seated outside a restaurant when screams erupted and people began running. “A bunch of people … told us to lay down onto the floor,” Rodriguez recalled.

Official Responses and Ongoing Investigation

Police secured the scene approximately one hour after the shooting commenced but continued to advise residents to avoid the midtown Toronto area. Organizers noted that the multiday festival celebrating Latin culture has been held annually for 22 years. Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow issued a strong condemnation of the violence, calling it “a reckless, despicable act of violence at a crowded festival.” She pledged that authorities would work tirelessly to identify all suspects involved.

“I will ensure Toronto Police have every resource they need to find those responsible, and they will keep working around the clock to get guns off our streets,” the mayor stated in a message posted on X.

Both Chow and police officials are encouraging any festival attendees who captured footage or possess relevant information to come forward. Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also responded to the tragedy, expressing that he is “horrified” by the deadly shooting at the busy Toronto festival. “My prayers are with the families grieving their loved ones … and everyone who has been affected by this horrific event,” Carney wrote in his statement.

Context of Gun Violence in Canada

While deadly gun violence occurs less frequently in Canada than in the United States, it continues to impact communities across the country. Less than three weeks prior to the Toronto incident, the nation experienced another devastating mass shooting in Montreal. During that event, a gunman opened fire in broad daylight, and a subsequent shootout with police resulted in two deaths. This marked the first time a Montreal officer has been killed in the line of duty in twenty years.

The shooting occurred in a country with considerably stronger gun legislation compared to the United States, where mass shootings remain relatively infrequent. Following Canada’s deadliest shooting in 2020 in Nova Scotia, where twenty-two people perished, the government implemented substantial reforms including bans on assault-style weapons. This story has been updated with additional information. CNN’s Izzy Lippolis contributed to this report.