UPDATE: All suspects remain at large after Toronto street festival mass shooting

VANCOUVER — Toronto police provided new details on the deadly shooting at the Salsa on St. Clair festival during a late-night news conference Saturday, describing a complex, fluid, and chaotic investigation involving multiple suspects and clarifying that it was not an active shooter situation despite initial reports..Police were called to St. Clair Avenue West and Arlington Avenue at approximately 8:12 pm EDT after reports of gunfire during the event.Officers located five people with injuries in addition to two individuals who were pronounced deceased, later clarifying four were injured with gunshot "wounds" and one with an another injury.The incident occurred during the popular TD Salsa on St. Clair festival, a two-day Latino cultural celebration featuring music, dance, and food that draws large crowds to the St. Clair West neighbourhood.Police initially described the situation as an active shooter incident.No suspect description has been released and police have not provided details on a possible motive. The public was advised to avoid the area and follow directions from emergency personnel. The festival was shut down following the shooting..Toronto police chief Frank Barredo, who brings nearly four decades of operational policing experience to the Toronto Police Service, led the briefing alongside Mayor Olivia Chow. He told reporters the shooting began as an "exchange," though he would not specify how many people were involved. He said there are "obviously a number of suspects" but stressed that this was "not an active shooter situation," contrary to initial reports. Barredo also described Toronto as "one of the safest cities in the world" during the media event, drawing widespread criticism online and an immediate interjection from Toronto city councillor and deputy mayor Mike Colle.."This is disgusting," Colle said, referring to the suspects as "gangsters" and calling for lengthy prison sentences with no bail.Police clarified the casualty figures from the initial response. Two people died at the scene from gunshot wounds, while five others were injured.While Barredo highlighted Toronto's overall safety — with the city frequently ranking among Canada's safer large urban centres and major crime indicators continuing to decline into 2026 according to police updates — broader data reveals a mixed picture on gun violence. Homicides in Toronto dropped sharply in 2025, falling by roughly 55% to around 45 from 85-86 the prior year, while shooting incidents decreased by more than 40%. Police have noted major crime indicators are decreasing further in 2026. However, concerns remain regarding persistent gun crime, with national statistics indicating that approximately 20% of homicides with known circumstances are linked to organized crime or street gangs. Reports have highlighted increases in violent crimes committed by individuals released on bail in recent years, and analyses of Toronto cases have suggested that a significant share of gun-related homicides involved suspects with prior bail histories or convictions. These elements have contributed to calls, such as those from Councillor Colle, for stricter approaches to bail and sentencing in firearm-related and repeat-offender cases.Ironically, reports emerged shortly after the press conference of another shooting in Toronto, with three people shot outside Rebel Nightclub, further highlighting the persistent challenges with gun violence in the city even as police briefed the public on the festival incident.

UPDATE: All suspects remain at large after Toronto street festival mass shooting

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