WARMINGTON: Murder victim gunned down in Vaughan plaza parking lot & More Latest News Here – Up Jobs

Article content

It started with the sound of gunshots in a parking lot at a busy shopping plaza in Vaughan.

Article content

This was not summer weekend fireworks. When York Regional Police officers responded, they found yet another victim of a fatal shooting.

This did not happen in a back alley at 3 a.m. or in a crack house. This was a crime that took place in a parking lot at 8 p.m. Saturday in a much used strip mall — at the corner of Hwy. 27 and Langstaff Rd. — with a tutoring business, pizza shop, shoe outlet, grocery store, dry cleaners and smoke shop.

People were coming and going.

In other words, this is a location frequented by families living their daily lives: picking up food for supper, clothing for work or lottery tickets. But in 2022, you just never know when or where you could find yourself in the middle of gunplay. It happens anywhere at any time.

Article content

The gangs and shooters in the GTA just don’t care. They will shoot anywhere at any time. They don’t care who sees it and or gets hit.

“Investigators believe this incident was targeted,” said a release prepared by Const. Maniva Armstrong.

The killers got their guy. Damn anybody who might have witnessed the shooting or been shot and killed in the crossfire.

It’s not the first time we’ve seen such a brazen disregard for human life in Vaughan.

Recommended Video

This happened very close to a disturbing multiple shooting just 10 months ago when two women were struck in another parking lot and stray bullets also went into a pharmacy. This time, according to police, the killer or killers succeeded in getting their target.

But sometimes those bullets ricochet and hit innocent people going about their routine business.

Article content

While police say “there is no threat to public safety,” they can’t make any promises about next time.

In the meantime, police are reaching out to the public for help in solving this crime.

“The suspect(s) fled the scene prior to police arriving,” said police. “The investigation is ongoing and officers are appealing to any witnesses who may have been in the area at the time who have not yet spoken to police to please come forward.”

Investigators are also seeking video surveillance from the area or any motorists who may have captured dash-cam video of the incident.

Those videos may have captured images the shooting, getaway and, of course, regular shoppers who were fortunate to escape unscathed.