Canadian police reported on Sunday that at least five people were killed when a gunman opened fire inside a multi-unit building in Vaughan, a town roughly 40 kilometers north of Toronto. The incident prompted a rapid response from emergency services and heightened concern across the region as investigators worked to piece together what happened inside the residential complex.
Authorities have identified the alleged gunman as the person responsible for the multiple fatalities. The suspect died in a shootout with security forces, bringing a swift and tragic close to the confrontation. Police confirmed the fatal outcome after the exchange with responding officers and noting the deceased individual’s involvement in the shootings.
York Regional Police spokesperson Laura Nicolle said officers conducted a thorough sweep of the apartment building to determine the exact number of victims and to ensure that anyone who was injured received medical attention as quickly as possible.
As the situation unfolded, Nicolle indicated that the death toll could rise beyond the initial five, with officials stating that seven deaths were a possibility while the investigation continued. She described the encounter with the suspect as an “interaction,” after which the gunman died shortly thereafter. The investigation remained active as detectives sought to establish the full sequence of events surrounding the attack.
Police could not confirm whether all victims were related or connected by family ties, and they were continuing to examine potential motives and the circumstances that led to the shooting. Investigators emphasized that the scene was being treated as a homicide investigation while they worked to gather evidence from the location and speak with witnesses and residents.