Toronto’s chief of police is providing an update following a shooting at the Salsa on St. Clair street festival that left two people dead and several others injured.
Gunfire broke out between two groups at the annual festival after 8 p.m. Saturday. Videos from the scene showed crowds of attendees frantically running for safety after the shots rang out. Police initially described the incident as an “active shooter” situation.
The festival was attended by an estimated 13,000 people and subsequently cancelled as the investigation got underway. Police Chief Myron Demkiw toured the scene Sunday morning and said Toronto police would be “relentless” in bringing those responsible to justice.
No arrests have been made.
Other injured parties were bystanders
Police Chief Myron Denkiw says that the other people injured in the shooting are believed to have been bystanders.
“The deceased were targeted in this incident and we did have other people obviously get hit by gunfire,” he says.
Victims did know each other
Police Chief Myron Denkiw says that the two deceased individuals did know each other, though he says that investigators are not prepared to reveal anything about them beyond that.
No suspect descriptions
Police Chief Myron Denkiw says that police “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 says.
Firearms recovered at scene
Police Chief Myron Denkiw says that two firearms were recovered at the scene of Saturday night’s shooting. He says that investigators believe the shooting was “targeted,” though he did not provide additional details about a possible motive.
“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,” he says.
Police ID victims
Toronto police have identified the two people fatally shot at the Salsa on St. Clair street festival over the weekend as Shaquan Quashie, 25, and Cesar Vernaza, 20.
Cesar Vernaza, 20, Salsa St. Clair shooting victim Cesar Vernaza, 20, was killed in a July 11 shooting at the Salsa on St. Clair festival. (TPS photo) 
Shaquan Quashie, 25, Salsa St. Clair shooting victim Shaquan Quashie, 25. was killed in a July 11 shooting at the Salsa on St. Clair festival. (TPS photo)