Two men were killed and four others were wounded Saturday evening in a shooting that occurred near the Salsa on St. Clair street festival in Toronto, according to police.
The shooting, reported around 8:12 p.m. near St. Clair Avenue West and Arlington Avenue, involved an exchange of gunfire between two people targeting each other, Toronto Police Deputy Chief Frank Barredo said. Investigators recovered two firearms at the scene.
No arrests had been made by the time of a late-night news conference, where Barredo confirmed both deceased victims were men. He added that the two gunmen "indiscriminately put vast numbers of people in danger."
Witnesses described a scene of panic as festivalgoers began screaming and running. Valerie Rodriguez, who was dining at a nearby restaurant, said people were told to lie down on the floor. "We got scared because we didn’t know exactly what was happening," she said.
Festival vendor Patsy Gutierrez observed a "huge wave" of people fleeing. "Everybody started getting frantic and then we stopped serving," she stated. "I don’t think it should be something that’s happening at these types of events."
Authorities initially urged the public to avoid the area due to concerns about an active shooter, but later announced the scene had been secured. "There was some concern about an active shooter. That turned out not to be the case," Barredo clarified.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow expressed distress over the violence, calling it a "reckless and irresponsible act of violence right in the middle of a festival attended by families."
Ontario Premier Doug Ford also shared his thoughts on social media, stating he was "devastated by the senseless violence at the Salsa on St. Clair Festival that has claimed two lives and injured others."
The incident occurred in Toronto's St. Clair West neighborhood, an area known for its annual celebration of Latin American culture, which draws thousands for music, dancing, food, and performances.
While Toronto is considered one of North America’s safest major cities, fatal shootings involving multiple victims in public spaces are rare. "Toronto is one of the safest cities in the world but we are 3 million people and unfortunately we are not immune," Barredo said.