Ontario police watchdog says Toronto-area condo shooter was 73-year-old man

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This article was published 19/12/2022 (1369 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

VAUGHAN, Ont. – A gunman suspected of killing five people in a Toronto-area condo before being shot by police was a 73-year-old man, Ontario’s police watchdog said Monday as authorities worked to learn more about what happened.

The Special Investigations Unit said a York Regional Police officer shot the gunman, who died at the scene in Vaughan, Ont., Sunday night.

“There was an interaction between an officer and the armed man in the building. The officer fired his gun and struck the man,” the SIU wrote in a statement. “Paramedics were called and the man was pronounced deceased at the scene.”

As day broke over the condo on Jane Street north of Rutherford Road, about 15 police cars and a large forensic identification truck remained outside the high-rise. The main entrance to the building was taped off.

Residents who were evacuated from the condo were able to return to the building early Monday morning.

Police had responded to reports of an active shooter around 7:30 p.m. Sunday and were met at the condo with a “horrendous scene,” Chief Jim MacSween said in late-night news conference.

Five people were found dead in the building and a sixth person was taken to hospital.

In a statement posted online, Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca recognized the “brave first responders” who worked to “safeguard the situation”, while offering his condolences on behalf of the city to the victims’ families.

Police said their investigation is active and ongoing, while the SIU said six investigators, including two in forensics, have been assigned to probe the police response.

The SIU is called to investigate when police conduct may have resulted in death or serious injury.

The civilian oversight agency said a post-mortem was scheduled for Tuesday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 19, 2022.