Police leaving ‘no stone unturned’ in the search for Scarborough pub shooting suspects, chief says

Chief of the Toronto Police Service Myron Demkiw comments on the mass shooting at a Scarborough pub that left 12 injured.

Toronto police Chief Myron Demkiw says investigators “will leave no stone unturned” as they hunt for three suspects who fired shots into a crowded Scarborough pub on Friday night, leaving 12 people injured.

Demkiw visited the scene of the shooting at Piper Arms on Saturday afternoon. He called the incident an “incredibly brazen act of violence.”

“Being inside there, I cannot imagine how chaotic that was for the people inside,” the chief told reporters at the scene. “These are the kind of events that not only shake our city but the people who are here. I’d expect (they) will be dealing with this for a long, long time.”

Police have said that three masked male suspects — one armed with an assault rifle and the others with handguns — entered the pub just before 10:40 p.m. and “opened fire indiscriminately” at multiple patrons.

“They walked into the bar. They produced their guns, and they opened fire,” said Supt. Paul MacIntyre of Organized Crime Enforcement at an earlier news conference on Saturday.

Six people sustained gunshot wounds to the arms and legs, police said, adding that the injuries were serious but not life-threatening. The other victims suffered injuries from flying broken glass.

“For everybody that was here, I can’t imagine how frightening and difficult it was for them while they were there,” Chief Demkiw said.

“When I walk through that scene and I see the nature of this incident, it’s simply incredible that nobody was killed, absolutely incredible.”

Demkiw would not provide an update on the status of the investigation, including the ongoing search for the suspects and possible motive, but said his service was using every resource necessary to find them.

“The investigation is very fresh and very active. There’s a lot of work happening behind the scenes to advance this investigation, and they will go where the evidence takes them,” the chief said.

“My job right now is to ensure that our organization has everything they need in place and to ensure Torontonians understand that we are making sure that we’re doing everything we can to restore a sense of safety and security, not just here, but to bring those responsible to justice and to do everything we can to respond to the situation appropriately.”

He pointed out that the Toronto Police Service is focused on addressing gun violence.

“We’re a big city with a long, long history and we’ve had occasions where we’ve had these types of things happen, but one is too many,” Demkiw said.

He added that several stakeholders, such as social services and the justice system, need to come together to deter violent acts as well as hold those responsible accountable.

“I really think that these kinds of acts of gun violence remind us of the challenges we face as partners, and we need to do our part, all of us. So when we do put people before the courts, we do expect things to happen that deter these kinds of acts, and offenders are held accountable,” Demkiw said.

“And when we have opportunities to prevent and disrupt these kinds of acts, that everybody does their part to ensure that we’re doing what we can to not allow these kinds of things to happen.”

Authorities initially said the three suspects who fled the scene may have escaped in a silver car, but no further details have been confirmed.

‘Blood all over the floor’

Supt. MacIntyre described a chaotic scene inside the pub.

“When you walk in, it’s kind of eerie. The drinks are still on the table. The food is still on the table. People’s purses, shoes are still in there,” he said.

“There’s a lot of damage to the walls. There’s glass walls that are shattered. There’s blood all over the floor.”

MacIntyre said investigators are reviewing surveillance footage and considering whether the attack was targeted.

“Our investigation will tell us whether or not this pub was targeted for a particular reason,” he said.

‘Deeply troubled’: mayor

Speaking at a press conference Saturday morning, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow says she is “deeply troubled” after six people sustained serious gunshot wounds, while others were injured by flying glass.

“I’m deeply troubled by this mass shooting… My thoughts are with the victims and their families,” she said.

Ontario Premier Doug Ford also addressed the shooting in a statement on X.

“The shooting that took place last night in Scarborough was a brazen act of violence that will not be tolerated,” Ford said.

He said his “full support” is behind Toronto police as they work to bring those responsible to justice.

“My thoughts are with the victims and their families, and I’m praying that all those affected by this terrible shooting make a full recovery.”

‘Nothing like this has ever happened’

Speaking with CP24’s Melissa Duggan on scene, Scarborough Centre councillor Michael Thompson described the incident as a “very sad moment,” adding that “nothing like this has ever happened before for his community.

“Incidents like this today is discouraging, and it has tremendous impact on the views and the feelings of people in the community.”

Police say residents in the area can expect an increased police presence as they continue to search for suspects. They urge anyone with information including eyewitnesses to come forward.