Two dead in ‘targeted’ Brampton school-ground shooting

Two victims, including a youth, were killed in a Brampton shooting. CP24's Melissa Duggan has more on the search for suspects as residents describe the scene.

Two people are dead following what police describe as a “targeted” shooting on school grounds in Brampton late Friday night.

Peel Regional Police say officers were called to the Rutherford Road and Weybridge Trail area at around 10:23 p.m.

Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, police say the shooting does not appear to be random, raising community concerns about violence unfolding near an elementary school.

Investigators say an “altercation” involving several people broke out on the school grounds before gunfire erupted.

“There was some sort of altercation that occurred in the school grounds with several individuals, following that, a firearm or firearms were discharged and two victims were hit,” media officer Laurie McCann told reporters.

Police say both victims were shot at the same location, but one attempted to flee before collapsing a short distance away.

“One of those victims is a male in his 20s. The second victim is a male youth,” McCann revealed.

Both were pronounced dead at the scene.

Investigators say the suspects fled prior to police arrival, but it remains unclear how.

“The suspects fled the area prior to police arrival. We are unsure at this time if they fled on foot or got into a vehicle,” McCann said.

Police say the homicide unit has now taken over the investigation and that at this time, no suspect descriptions are available.

“This is not a random act, and I can’t say 100 per cent but it appears to be a targeted incident,” McCann added.

A large police presence remains in the area as officers canvass for witnesses and collect evidence.

“Our homicide unit has been notified and has taken care of this investigation. I do not have any suspect information to share with you at this time,” she said.

“The scene is still very active. We have officers and investigators in the area canvassing for witnesses and gathering evidence. We are asking anyone that may have been in the area at the time of the shooting or may have some video surveillance or dash cam video to please contact police,” McCann said.

Residents come forward

Residents in the neighbourhood who spoke to CP24 described a heavy police response in the hours that followed the incident.

“At about 11:30 p.m. I was on my couch trying to sleep and heard a couple voices in the backyard... I see two guys back there with flashlights open the window. And it turns out it was five SWAT guys with weapons, and they were scaling all the fences looking for somebody they were chasing,” said Jeff Weaver.

“After about another 10 minutes, I saw them in the front, and they were looking all over the neighborhood for whoever bad guys they were looking for,” he added.

Weaver said officers searched through nearby properties, including his own.

“It was unbelievable. I noticed my shed door had been opened as well. I said, hey, my doors open. He goes, ‘Yeah, that was me. We’ll close it after we’re done here,’” he said. “It’s something you just don’t see every day, but Brampton is certainly changing.”

Another resident, John Salazar, said the location of the shooting is particularly troubling.

“The neighborhood has changed a lot for the past couple months, and years. I mean, considering it happened near the elementary school (St. Joachim Elementary School), it kind of scares me.”

Brampton mayor speaks out

In a statement, Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown shared his condolences with the family, friends and loved ones of the victims and called the shooting a “senseless act of gun violence”.

“While this incident is not connected to the school itself and there is no threat to public safety, any act of gun violence is one too many,” he said. “We recognize how unsettling incidents like this are and the impact they can have on our community, and our priority remains the safety and wellbeing of our city.”

He added that the shooting is a stark reminder “of the ongoing need for all levels of government to work together to address illegal firearms and enhance public safety.”