TORONTO, Canada — A celebration of music and culture turned into a scene of panic and tragedy after gunfire erupted during Toronto’s annual Salsa on St. Clair street festival on Saturday evening, leaving two people dead and six others injured.
Toronto Police said the shooting occurred at approximately 8:12 p.m. near the intersection of St. Clair Avenue West and Arlington Avenue, where thousands had gathered for the opening night of the popular Latino cultural festival. Authorities estimate that about 13,000 people were in the area when shots rang out, sending festivalgoers scrambling for cover.
Deputy Chief Frank Barredo said the violence was not a random attack but appeared to involve an exchange of gunfire between two armed individuals targeting one another.
“This seemed to be an exchange of gunfire between individuals targeting each other – obviously, indiscriminately putting vast numbers of people in great danger,” Barredo said during a late-night news conference.
Police initially responded to reports of an active shooter before determining that the incident involved rival gunmen exchanging shots.
One man was pronounced dead at the scene, while another later died after being transported to hospital. Five of the injured suffered gunshot wounds, while another person was hurt in the chaos as frightened crowds fled the area. Four victims were reported to have sustained serious injuries.
Emergency responders described a chaotic scene, with people running in all directions and some falling or being trampled while trying to escape.
“There were people that were injured, there were people that were down,” Barredo said, calling it “a very active and chaotic scene.”
Investigators recovered two firearms and established three crime scenes as forensic officers worked through the night. Police believe two suspects fled the area before officers arrived and no arrests had been announced as of Sunday.
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow condemned the shooting, saying she was “deeply disturbed and angry” that such violence had occurred at a family-oriented community event.
“This happened right in the middle of a festival attended by families, children and seniors. It is just beyond words how disturbed I am,” Chow said.
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also expressed his condolences, writing on X that he was “horrified” by the shooting and offering prayers to the victims’ families and those injured.
Ontario Premier Doug Ford called the incident “senseless violence” and thanked first responders for their rapid response.
The annual Salsa on St. Clair festival, now in its 22nd year, is one of Canada’s largest celebrations of Latin American culture, typically attracting hundreds of thousands of visitors over two days with live music, dance performances, food vendors and family activities.
Following the shooting, organizers announced the cancellation of Sunday’s final day of the festival to allow police to conduct their investigation.
