The final day of the Salsa on St. Clair festival was cancelled Sunday after a mass shooting left two men dead and four others injured during the popular midtown event Saturday night.
Shooting Details
Toronto Police said shots rang out around 8 p.m. near St. Clair Ave. W. and Arlington Ave., an area closed to vehicle traffic for the festival. Deputy Chief Frank Barredo told media that two men were killed following an "exchange of gunfire between individuals" and two firearms were recovered. No arrests have been made.
Barredo described the scene as "very chaotic," noting that approximately 13,000 people were at the festival when the shooting occurred. The investigation is "complex," he added.
Victims and Injuries
While police have not released official victim information, a police source told the Toronto Sun that a 40-year-old man, a 19-year-old woman, and another female were among those injured. Four people remain hospitalized; the conditions of the victims are not yet known.
Organizers' Response
"Due to the complex police investigation at the scene, we understand that the festival will not resume today, Sunday, July 12," said Salsa in Toronto, the event organizers, in a statement. They expressed being "shocked and deeply saddened by the shootings" and offered condolences to victims' families and "everyone affected by this senseless violence."
City Officials React
Toronto Councillor Josh Matlow, whose ward includes the area, called the scene "surreal" on X. "A helicopter flying overhead, and dozens of officers shutting down the area. What happened tonight was really painful, terrifying and saddening," he wrote, thanking police, firefighters, and paramedics for their response.
Mayor Olivia Chow said she was "disgusted and angered" by the shooting, calling it "a reckless, despicable act of violence at a crowded festival." She pledged to ensure Toronto Police have resources to find those responsible and to continue efforts to get guns off the streets.
Deputy Mayor Mike Colle blamed "weak laws" for the violence, posting on Facebook: "These Disgusting Gun Gangsters have no fear of our weak laws and total lack of consequences. Ottawa and Queen's Park wake up and put an end to Easy Bail and Dropping Charges. No Bail for Gun Gangsters!"
