3 children, 1 man shot at child’s birthday party in Rexdale

Police say a five-year-old girl is in stable condition after a shooting at a birthday party that left two other children and an adult injured in Rexdale Saturday night.

Police were called to Tandridge Crescent near Byng Avenue just after 8 p.m.

Superintendent Ron Taverner said the shooting occurred at an outdoor birthday party for a one-year-old.

Along with the five-year-old girl, an 11-year-old boy and a 23-year-old male were shot, with the man suffering a gunshot wound to the leg. A one-year-old boy was also grazed by gunshot and was treated at the scene but did not go to hospital.

Paramedics say they transported one child in life-threatening condition and another child and the adult male had serious, but non life-threatening injuries.

As of Sunday morning, there was no update on the condition of the other victims.

Paramedics had previously said five people were wounded, but police later said the number was actually four. They have since clarified that a fifth person was assessed on the scene, but was never taken to hospital.

Taverner said police are working on the descriptions of the suspects, but cannot provide anything concrete at this time. He says they know the shooters arrived at the scene on foot but may have left in a vehicle.

Duty Inspector Kelly Skinner confirmed they are looking for multiple suspects. Skinner said the children were not the targets of the shooting, but she is unsure if the adult male shot was targeted at this time.

“This is a tragedy. There were three children who were shot here tonight. We absolutely need your help,” said Skinner, appealing for any witnesses. “There is nothing more brazen than children outside at a gathering and violence happening in front of them and them being victims,” she added.

Premier Doug Ford called the shooting “inconceivable and beyond comprehension,” adding the “perpetrators must be found and brought to justice.”

The shooting that took place in Rexdale last night is inconceivable and beyond comprehension.

The perpetrators must be found and brought to justice. If anyone has any information, please contact the Toronto Police Service or Crime Stoppers immediately. pic.twitter.com/pE6dAOa67W

— Doug Ford (@fordnation) June 20, 2021

Mayor John Tory issued a statement Sunday morning saying firing a gun in Toronto is unacceptable “anywhere anytime,” but “doing so at a child’s birthday party goes way beyond that.”

“This is a shocking and outrageous act of gun violence that comes amidst the work Toronto Police and the City have been doing that has led to a decline in shootings over the last year,” he said.

Firing a gun anywhere anytime in the City of Toronto is unacceptable. Doing so at a child’s birthday party goes way beyond that. pic.twitter.com/161ZkdrUjl

— John Tory (@JohnTory) June 20, 2021

With files from The Canadian Press