SEVERAL INJURED IN DRIVE-BY SHOOTING OUTSIDE SCARBOROUGH MOSQUE IN CANADA

Sun 17 April 2022:

Five people were injured in a mosque shooting Saturday in the Toronto area of Canada, according to police sources.

A group of men, who had finished midnight prayers during the holy month of Ramadan, was randomly attacked in a drive-by shooting in the Scarborough district, said Toronto Police Department spokesperson David Rydzik.

At around 1 a.m., a group of individuals celebrating the Islamic holy month of Ramadan gathered in a parking lot to discuss where to eat after they had just finished praying, in the area of Markham Road and Lawrence Avenue East, police said.

“While they were here and just getting ready to leave, shots rang out. And unfortunately five individuals were struck by those bullets from what we believe came from perhaps a vehicle on Markham Road that was traveling by,” Acting Staff Supt. David Rydzik said at a news conference Saturday afternoon.

Four men were found at the scene with gunshot wounds and transported to hospital with serious but non-life-threatening injuries, police said.

A fifth victim, who also sustained non-life-threatening injuries, made his own way to hospital.

Police said the victims are between 28 and 35 years old, and some are married with children.

“Three of those five have been released from hospital right now and the other two are expected to make a very good recovery,” Rydzik said.

At least six shots were fired but it remains unknown how many suspects were involved in the shooting, he said.

Early reports from police said the suspects fled the scene in a blue car and travelled northbound on Markham Road.

“We are unable to say whether the victims were targeted because of their religious beliefs,” said Rydzik.

In a tweet published Saturday afternoon, Toronto Police Chief James Ramer said that while it’s too early to confirm a motive, the service’s hate crimes unit is engaged in the investigation.

Meanwhile, Nadeem Sheikh, board member of the Scarborough Muslim Association said he is concerned about the shooting.

“I’m really upset and worried. I’m concerned. Five mature, grown, family-oriented men were shot this morning,” Sheikh said.

“We call upon our local police authorities that we’ve been working with closely, our local governments, that they apply every resource possible to apprehend these suspects and to curb the gun violence in this community as well as every other community in Toronto,” he added.

He urged authorities to do their best to bring the perpetrators before authorities and said more steps should be taken to curb gun violence.

SOURCE: INDEPENDENT PRESS AND NEWS AGENCIES

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