Police ID victims in deadly Salsa on St. Clair shooting

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Salsa on St. Clair victims identified as Shaquan Quashie and Cesar Vernaza

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Police have identified two people who were killed during a brazen shooting at a Toronto street festival over the weekend that left thousands of attendees scrambling to get to safety.

Shaquan Quashie, 25, and Cesar Vernaza, 20, were both shot as two groups exchanged gunfire during the Salsa on St. Clair street festival on Saturday night.

One of them was pronounced dead on scene while the other succumbed to their injuries in hospital.

Five other people were also hit by the gunfire and taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.

At a news conference on Monday, Police Chief Myron Denkiw confirmed that Quashie and Vernaza were “targeted” and the other victims were “bystanders” merely caught in the gunfire.

• READ MORE: Community wants to see changes to Salsa on St. Clair festival in wake of deadly shooting: councillor

Denkiw said that the deceased individuals were known to one another but didn’t elaborate on the nature of their relationship.

He then went on to say that events like the one that occurred on Saturday night “need to serve as a reckoning” when it comes to the need for action to address gun violence.

“Shootings are down in this city over 26 per cent compared to the same time last year but when a brazen shooting occurs in a public setting like what happened this weekend it understandably shakes the sense of safety and security that Torontonians understandably expect and deserve,” Denkiw said.

Police initially reported ‘active shooter’

Saturday night’s shooting occurred at around 8 p.m. on St. Clair Avenue West near Arlington Avenue as thousands of people took in the annual Salsa on St. Clair festival.

Police initially said that they were looking for an “active shooter” in the moments after gunfire erupted.

However, they clarified at a news conference later that night that those initial reports were incorrect.

Denkiw said that two firearms were ultimately recovered from the scene following the shooting.

Investigation continues

At this point no arrests have been made and Demkiw said police have set up an online portal for members of the public to upload any images or footage from the neighbourhood that could be relevant to the ongoing investigation.

“We are not saying anything about suspects at this time. It is very much still early – frankly hours – and the amount of video and witness statements to go through is exceptional,” he said.

“Our investigators are diligently pouring through that and doing everything they can to run down every single lead.”

Festival safety questioned

Saturday’s shooting at one of Toronto’s most poplar summer festivals has raised questions about whether additional security measures are needed, with Coun. Josh Matlow telling Newstalk 1010 earlier in the day that he has heard from some members of the neighbourhood who want Salsa on St. Clair relocated to a park or perhaps shut down earlier in the night.

Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow, however, released a video message earlier on Monday in which she said that we cannot “let reckless criminals stop Toronto’s tradition of outdoor street festivals.”

Speaking with reporters, Denkiw said that street festivals are a “vital part of Toronto’s vibrant culture” and should continue. But he did concede that the events of this weekend “underscore the need for ongoing discussions between the police, the city and event organizers about the measure necessary to keep public events safe.”

“There needs to be a discussion about how we allow people to enjoy street festivals freely with an appropriate police presence and if we need to introduce additional security measures, such as controlled access points and security screening,” he said.

Victims had grown up together

Police have refused to speculate about what might have motivated the shooting, other than saying that both victims appear to have been targeted.

Speaking with CTV News Toronto on Monday, the mother of victim Shaquan Quashie said that her son had given her a hug earlier in the day and told her he was headed to the Salsa on St. Clair festival.

“I said, ‘You don’t even speak the language where are you going, bro?’ – and the very last thing he said to me is ‘God is good’,” she said

Sheradon Quashie said that when she learned of the shooting later that night she ran to the festival and was later taken to Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre where she’d wait for hours prior to being notified that her only son had succumbed to his injuries.

“I don’t have a son, my son is gone,” she said.

Quashie said the other victim, 20-year-old Cesar Vernaza, was a neighbour her son had grown up with.

She said that she wants police to catch those responsible so she can better understand what happened.

“I’m angry. I want to see his face. I want to know. I want to look him into his face into his eyes and answer one question: why. That’s all I want to know, why,” she said.

The festival was attended by an estimated 13,000 people. The festival’s final day on Sunday was subsequently cancelled due to the ongoing police investigation.

With files from CTV News Toronto’s Janice Golding