Five killed in Toronto mass shooting: Surge in gun violence in Canada

TORONTO (Canada), Dec 21: Five people were killed in a shooting at a condo apartment building in the suburbs of Toronto city in Canada on Sunday night. The 73-year old shooter Francesco Villi who also lived in the apartment, died soon after in a shootout with the police who arrived on the scene following an emergency call. Villi was wielding a semi-automatic handgun. One woman was wounded and hospitalised.

The high-end towers Bellaria Residences where the shooting took place is in the city of Vaughan, 30 km north of Toronto, Capital of Ontario province bordering the US. It is at 9235 Jane St., a 16-storey highrise just north of Rutherford Road.

York Regional Police on Tuesday disclosed the identity of the five killed in the shooting as: current condo board members Naveed Dada, 59, and Rita Camilleri, 57; Camilleri’s partner, Vittorio Panza, 79; previous condo board member Russell Manock, 75, and his wife, Helen (known as Lorraine), 71. The woman in hospital is Doreen Di Nino, wife of John Di Nino, a board member.

The shooter had a longstanding dispute with the condo board members. Villi had complained about conditions in his apartment building and bore a grudge against the condo board. He had posted his grievances on social media. He had also been suing condo board for years.

The condo board had earlier sought a restraining order against Villi over his “allegedly threatening, abusive, intimidating and harassing behavior,” according Toronto Star. They wanted him to be removed from the apartment and the court hearing was due on Monday.

He had claimed that he had “chronic obstructive lung disease” and needed an environment without dust or pollution which the condo was not providing.

He had filed a case. His suit was dismissed in September, the judge saying, “frivolous and/or vexatious.” He had filed several law suits.

But on Sunday evening he went door-to-door targeting the condo members he thought his enemies.

However, the police have not declared a motive for the crime.

The suspect was pronounced dead at the scene. A semi-automatic handgun was recovered from him. police said. The shooting took place at several floors.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau offered his condolences to the families. "I'm keeping you in my thoughts," he tweeted.

Canada ban on firearms

As Canada is witnessing a surge in shootings like in the neighbouring US, Trudeau banned shotguns - a national freeze on the sale, purchase and transfer of handguns - earlier this year as an emergency measure until a legislation, currently before a parliamentary committee, is passed.

In September last, a man killed 11 people and stabbed 18 others in Saskatchewan province.

In Canada's worst shooting case, a gunman disguised as a policeman killed 22 people in the eastern province of Nova Scotia in April 2020.

Canada banned 1,500 types of military-grade or assault-style firearms in May 2020, days after the Nova Scotia shooting.

Indian Canadians shot dead

There has also been a spurt in violence against Indian Canadians. A 24-year- old Indian-origin Sikh was shot dead in Canada's Alberta province on December 3. The victim was identified as Sanraj Singh.

A 40-year-old Sikh woman Harpreet Kaur was stabbed to death in Surrey in Canada's westernmost province of British Columbia, on December 7.

A Sikh woman, 21 year-old Pawanpreet Kaur was shot dead at a petrol pump in Canada's Mississauga town in Greater Toronto Area in Ontario province on December 3.

A Punjabi teen Sikh, 18-year old Mehakpreet Sethi was stabbed to death in a scuffle at the parking lot of a high school, also in the city of Surrey, on November 22.

In April last, a 21-year old student from Ghaziabad in the Indian State of UP was shot dead in Toronto.