A 10-year-old girl and 18-year-old woman were killed in Sunday’s mass shooting in Toronto, where 13 other victims were injured, police said Monday.
The victims ranged in age from 10 to 59, according to reports.
They were struck by bullets Sunday night, when a man “fired shots at groups of people several times,” authorities said.
It remained unclear if the gunman, identified only as a 29-year-old, killed himself or died after being shot by police.
He was in the city’s Greektown neighborhood when he opened fire on Danforth Avenue. He shot between 15 and 20 rounds during his spree, hospitalizing at least nine. Local reporters have been sharing cellphone video footage showing the exact moment he opened fire.
Shortly after the shooting, Police Chief Mark Saunders said it was not random and he did not rule out terrorism as a motive.
“I’m looking at every single possible motive for this,” said Saunders, who confirmed the man used a handgun.
The gunman was found dead in a nearby alley after an exchange of gunfire with cops, the Globe and Mail reported.
Authorities received a call shortly after 10 p.m. in which witnesses reported the suspect walking down the street firing at restaurants, cafes and patios in all directions. The gunfire triggered a small stampede as people ran for safety.
“I thought it was fireworks at first ’cause it was a rapid fire,” John Tulloch told CBC News. “We saw people starting to run in our direction. I still didn’t know what it was and then more people started running.”
A video clip posted by Canadian media appeared to show a dark-clad man walking on the sidewalk and then turning to aim and fire a handgun.
Jody Steinhauer told CBC News she was at a neighborhood eatery with her family when she heard what sounded like 10 to 15 blasts of firecrackers. She said she was told to run to the back of the restaurant.
“We started to hear people scream out front,” Steinhauer told the broadcaster.
Mayor John Tory said the attack is “evidence of a gun problem” in Toronto.
“Guns are too readily available to too many people,” Tory told a news conference.
Tory added that details of the latest incident remained sketchy and urged people to stay calm.
“We have to figure out what happened here. We don’t know,” he said.