Vehicle in St. James Town damaged by thrown object, not gun shots

Toronto police say an incident in St. James Town where a 2-year-old child was injured in a vehicle due to broken glass was not a shooting, as initially reported.

Duty Inspector Anthony Paoletta clarified to reporters Monday evening that an object was thrown from ground level at the vehicle, breaking a back window.

A two-year-old child suffered in the back seat a minor cut that did not require medical attention and no other injuries were reported.

Insp. Paoletta said the woman driving the vehicle fled the scene in panic and called police from a different location. She reported the vehicle had been shot at in the Wellesley Street East and Bleecker Street area around 1:45 p.m.

The woman was interviewed at a police facility and based on the information she provided, police taped off the area and investigators began searching the scene for evidence.

Officers viewed surveillance video from the area and their investigation found that no firearm had been discharged.

The nature of the object thrown at the vehicle is unclear, but Insp. Paoletta added it was an isolated incident and was not targeted.

“There is no concern for public safety whatsoever,” he said.

During their search, officers found a shell casing from a separate incident that occurred outside 565 Sherbourne Street shortly before midnight on Sunday. The two incidents do not appear to be related but anyone with information about that incident to contact police.

The woman’s relation to the child is unclear and there is no word on suspects at this time.

The investigation is still ongoing, and anybody with information is asked to contact police.