A man was shot dead in Scarborough on Sunday afternoon, according to the Toronto police, who killed the city's 90th murder this year – a record breaking since 1991.
Paramedics said the victim had gunshot wounds. He was unconscious and did not breathe, and was announced shortly after.
Police said they found shell casings inside the building.
The victim did not live in the building, police say
Detective Paul Warden said on Sunday night that the victim was about 30 years old. He refused to give further information about the victim's identity, because his relatives had not been notified.
Warden said the researchers were continuing to scan the building on Sunday night.
The victim did not live in the building, Warden said, but added that the dead knew the building and were well known to its inhabitants.
Detective Paul Warden says the victim was about 30 years old. (CBC)
"We know from the video surveillance section I have watched so far that he was with three or four other parties before his murder," he said. The victim was known to the police.
The police are now watching the video outside the building.
"We have a direction of some people who seemed to leave the building shortly after the murder, and we want to track their whereabouts," added Varden.
A massive police presence surrounded the complex Sunday afternoon, when officers pointed to their units on the floor. The force's emergency personnel – in fact the SWAT unit – were also called after the shooting began.
ETF members who leave the building as a criminal police arrive at the unit.
Dozens of officers remain in the building, where shooting took place @CBCToronto pic.twitter.com/ksV9MhVRGH
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Broken record
On Sunday evening, police dragged a black minivan with no license plates prepared as evidence.
Warden said that the vehicle did not belong to the victim and that the police did not believe it was directly involved in the crime.
West Hill Apartments have a huge police presence – I am a 19 police superintendent.
Officers in the floor goes by floor, which is believed that the shooting was pic.twitter.com/rIb50pY1Js
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The unit of murder of the force was called to investigate.
The shooting is 90 slaying in Toronto this year, the most murders each year the city has faced. The previous record was 89 deaths in 1991.
In an interview with reporters following another fatal shooting earlier this week, the city's murder squad said that "there is definitely an increase in the number of shootings" this year compared to other murders.
Hank Edesinghe said that while the police took more guns from the streets than ever before, "the shooting continues to exist."
A van without plates – marked as evidence – is towed by the police @ back of West West apartments @CBCToronto pic.twitter.com/MNfNk2Dix1
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He recalled that 1991 was marked by a bitter Gangland ping that included some high profile fatal shots with multiple victims. The communal storm to violence later led to a significant increase in public advice to the police, which helped maintain the murder figures in Toronto many years later.
"There was a response from the public, the public intervened and provided the tips that enabled us to successfully investigate these crimes and get the right people behind bars," said Eidesinga.
In a statement released later, Toronto Mayor John Torrey said that the overall murder of the year is "not something that anyone, including me, can accept."
"The people of Toronto know there is no magic answer … but people have a right to expect their governments to work together to reduce violent crime," Torrey said.
"I am definitely determined to see that we will be better next year and every future year, I know that public help can keep Toronto safe."
