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Law enforcement personnel enforce a police cordon near the intersection of St. Clair West and Arlington Avenue, near the site of a shooting that occurred at the Salsa on St. Clair Festival in Toronto, on Saturday.LAURA PROCTOR/AFP/Getty Images
An evening of music and dancing at Toronto’s Salsa on St. Clair festival ended in chaos on Saturday night after an exchange of gunfire left two men dead, injured several others and sent thousands of attendees running for safety.
The shooting at one of the city’s most popular summer events drew widespread condemnation, with Mayor Olivia Chow calling it a “reckless” act of violence.
Toronto police Deputy Chief Frank Barredo said an estimated 13,000 people were attending the festival celebrating Latin music, food and culture before shots rang out shortly after 8 p.m., killing the two men and injuring at least four others.
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Toronto Police Deputy Chief Frank Barredo, joined by Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, addresses the media following a shooting at the Salsa on St. Clair event on Saturday.Keito Newman/The Canadian Press
Police cordoned off three separate crime scenes and found two firearms, he told a news conference. No one has been arrested yet in the shooting.
“This was a very active and chaotic scene,” Barredo said. “At times, there was some concern of an active shooter. That turned out not to be the case.”
The mayor said she was very disturbed by the deadly gunfire and offered her condolences to the victims and their families.
“I’m deeply angry about this reckless, irresponsible act of violence in the middle of a festival attended by families, children, seniors,” Chow said.
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Toronto Police hold back crowds as they respond to a shooting incident at the Salsa on St. Clair event.Keito Newman/The Canadian Press
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Armed police respond to the scene of the shooting.Keito Newman/The Canadian Press
Festivalgoers described a chaotic scene after shots were fired, with people running and screaming as police converged on the area of St. Clair Avenue West and Arlington Avenue.
Valerie Rodriguez said she was sitting next to a restaurant when she saw people fleeing.
“A bunch of people … told us to lay down onto the floor,” she said. “We got scared because we didn’t know exactly what was happening.”
Patsy Gutierrez, a vendor at the festival, said she was serving customers when she saw “a huge wave” of people running.
“Everybody started getting frantic, and then we stopped serving,” she said. “I don’t think it should be something that’s happening in these type of events.”
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Paramedics respond to the scene of the shooting at the Salsa on St. Clair event.Keito Newman/The Canadian Press
William Ajselett said he was in line to buy food when he witnessed “a crowd-crushing situation.”
After the crowd dispersed, he said he tracked down his wife and made sure his friends were okay.
Josh Matlow, a city councillor in the area, said he was at the festival earlier in the day and it was “very peaceful.”
“The vibe was great,” he said at the scene.
“I came over to support the police efforts and, of course, to be in touch with community leaders who are scared and worried about the neighbourhood.”
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Police collect evidence in the aftermath of the shooting.Keito Newman/The Canadian Press
Ontario Premier Doug Ford and Prime Minister Mark Carney both said they were horrified by the shooting.
“My prayers are with the families grieving their loved ones, those who are in critical condition, and everyone who has been affected by this horrific event,” Carney said in a social media post.
“My thanks to the police officers and other first responders whose courage and fast action prevented further tragedy. Police have my full support as they work to apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice.”
Ford said he is devastated by the “senseless” violence, adding that “the person responsible must be caught, brought to justice and spend the rest of their life behind bars.”
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Toronto police officers guard the police cordon as law enforcement personnel process the scene of the shooting overnight.LAURA PROCTOR/AFP/Getty Images
The Salsa on St. Clair festival has been running for more than 20 years and features live music performances and dancing over two days. It’s one of the biggest events on Toronto’s summer calendar.
Hours after the shooting on Saturday night, festival streets were empty, with only litter, broken glass and police vehicles remaining.