Hip hop community identifies Toronto rapper as victim in Woodbridge shooting

Members of Toronto’s hip hop community have identified the man critically injured in a shooting outside a Woodbridge nightclub as up-and-coming rapper Robin Banks.

The 22-year-old was one of three people who were caught up in gunfire outside the Cameo Lounge, near Weston Road and Steeles Avenue, in the early morning hours of Monday.

Banks was rushed to hospital with critical injuries following the shooting, where he remains in stable condition.

Though York Regional Police have refused to confirm Banks as a victim, many have taken to social media using the hashtag #PrayforRobinBanks.

Jesse Plunkett, the editor of hiphopcanada.com, told CP24 that 22-year-old Banks is considered a rising rap artist in the Toronto music scene. He said Banks’ work has recently been growing outside Toronto “at a very large rate.”

“He’s been projected to do a lot of great things this year to advance his career. If you look at his videos and his music online, he’s got video views upwards of one and two million views,” Plunkett told CP24 over the phone Tuesday.

“He’s really considered by many as one of the guys that was going to take things to a new level this year as far as his career goes.”

Plunkett said he wasn’t personally aware of any bad blood between Banks and anyone else in the industry but suggested it wasn’t impossible.

“In general, there’s jealousy around the music community, the hip hop community. When people start to do well, you never know who that makes you a target of ,” he said. “There’s a lot of people trying to get on, so to speak. It’s not something I’ve heard of as far as a personal connection to anyone or anything in particular.”

Philadelphia rapper Meek Mill -- who previously feuded with Drake – joined the well-wishers Monday by posting a photo of Banks to his Instagram account with the caption “Pray 4 da kid.”

“The last we’ve been told is that his condition has been stabilizing and that surgery was going to be taking place today or in the near future,” Plunkett said.

“There’s a lot of sadness and grief to finding out that someone with so much talent and so much promise in the front of his career… For something like that to happen is obviously a tragedy.”

York Regional Police previously said the shooting was targeted though did not provide any further details. When asked whether the suspects and victims are known to each other, police declined to comment.

Earlier Tuesday, police issued arrest warrants for two Toronto men wanted in connection with the shooting. Both are wanted on charges of attempted murder.

The remaining victims, a 26-year-old Toronto man and a 26-year-old Aurora woman, both sustained gunshot wounds in the commotion and were taken to hospital with serious injuries. Police confirmed Tuesday that their condition has since been upgraded to non-life-threatening.

In a news release, police released images of two men and a suspected getaway they believe was involved in the incident.

Two suspects, identified as 19-year-old Rushawn Anderson and 26-year-old Nicholas Rhoden, both of Toronto, are each wanted for attempted murder.

Police also believe a black, four-door, 2013 model Honda Accord with the licence plate of BZMX845 was used to flee the scene.

Police say the investigation is ongoing and urge anyone who spots either man or the vehicle to call 9-1-1, as they’re believed to be armed and dangerous.

Previously, police said investigators have not ruled out the possibility that more than one firearm was involved in the incident.