Aaliyyah Posted March 16, 2008 Teen killed in gunfight RENE JOHNSON/TORONTO STAR A bullet hole is seen in the aftermath of a shootout March 14, 2008 near Dufferin St. and Lawrence Ave. W. which left one man dead and three others in hospital. Email Story Email story Print Print Text Size Text Size Text Size Choose text size Report Typo Report typo or correction AddThis Homicide maps View interactive maps of homicides in the GTA since 2005. Mar 15, 2008 02:46 PM Madhavi Acharya-Tom Yew Staff Reporter An 18-year-old man is dead and three other men remain in hospital after a gunfight in a North York housing complex Friday night. Six young men were hurt in the shootout, which broke out just before 10 p.m. at a Toronto Community Housing Corporation apartment building on Amaranth Court, in the Lawrence Ave. W. and Dufferin St. area, south of the Yorkdale mall. One of the teens died overnight. Police have identified him as Abdikarim Ahmed Abdikarim, 18, of Toronto. His death is Toronto's 11th homicide of the year. Police don't know what sparked the melee. "We are looking at all possibilities at this point," Det.-Sgt. Brian Borg told reporters at the scene this morning. Police are looking at footage from video surveillance cameras in the area. Three other young men remain in hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Two were treated for gunshot wounds and have since been released. Carla Brooks was putting her two-year-old to bed last night when she heard what sounded like someone banging on a garbage can. She was very surprised to find out that six people had been shot. The 40-year-old mother of three grew up in the neighbourhood, officially called Lawrence Heights but typically referred to as The Jungle. "When I was a kid, any fight was with fists, maybe a baseball bat. But you never heard of anybody having a gun," Brooks said. One resident said he heard that the youths were "playing with their guns" when the gunfire broke out. Another said the incident may have been triggered when one gun accidentally fired, prompting others in the group to return fire. Other area residents say the same group of teens frequently hangs out at the north end of the complex, and the youths are known to carry handguns. Shiela Gunawardana, 62, who lives at the Amaranth Court building where the shooting took place, heard the shots last night and called 911. "Last night, I heard all this commotion," she said. The frightened woman called police, who told her to stay away from the window. "I'm scared to sleep at night. I'm shaking all over," she said. "Somebody in this building knows the gunman, but they're not saying anything." Hassan Ainanshe was at work when he heard shooting had broken out next to his home, and rushed back to check on his teenage sons. "Before it was (known as) The Jungle, but we cleaned it up," said Ainanshe, who moved here from Somalia five years ago. "It's safe now - nothing like this has happened before." After the shooting, shocked residents gathered outside the two-story homes as police dog handlers searched for evidence. Officers stopped passing cars on nearby Flemington Rd. as they canvassed for witnesses. Halima Mohamoud, who lives on nearby Edengarth Court, said "It's very scary, especially when you have kids." Mohamoud, the mother of five children, ranging from under 1 to over 20, said "someone was killed in the court here just last year." Mohamoud, who has lived in the complex for two years, said she heard shots fired and looked out her window to see what appeared to be bodies across the playground from her house. But some residents said the community is mostly safe. "I really believe it's a very nice neighbourhood. Incidents like this give it a bad name," said Jose Montes, who lives in a neighbouring townhouse. Ilaahay sabar iyo imaan dadkiisa haka siiyo. That been said as Somalis we failed our youth. It is time Somali parents and community ask themselves what should we do different so our kids wont be affiliated with gangs? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Faarax-Brawn Posted March 16, 2008 Ilaah unaxaristo. Looks like Toronto got the London & Mpls Bug...Waxan wixi dhalay xagee joogan? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pujah Posted March 16, 2008 This is really sad. May Allah make it easier for their families to cope with this tragedy. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Geel_jire Posted March 16, 2008 what is with the increase of violence these days.......... depressing walaahi Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
