A Jamaican man was killed, and four others were injured in Toronto, Canada, when gunmen allegedly opened fire on a group of men gathered in a high school parking lot after a weekend football game.
Police described the late-night attack as sudden and one-sided but said it was too early to determine if it was random.
Officers responded to reports of a shooting in the North Albion Collegiate Institute parking lot shortly before 11 p.m. on Sunday. According to the police, a group of 15 to 20 men had gathered there to socialize after playing football earlier in the day.
Detective Sergeant Phillip Campbell from the Toronto Police Service said the whole scene unfolded in “a fraction of a minute.”
He said police believe two suspects in a dark pickup pulled up by the group, got out of the vehicle and started shooting. He described the shooting as “one-sided” and said he did not believe there was any exchange between the suspects and victims.
“From what I understand, it’s just a group of men that were gathering after playing soccer in the afternoon. Really just socializing, enjoying the fresh air,” he said.
The five men who were shot were in their 40s to 60s. The only fatality was a 61-year-old man. The other four remained hospitalized, with one sustaining serious, life-altering injuries.
The deceased victim has been identified as a Jamaican man, Delroy “George” Parkes, of Woodstock, Canada. Originally from St. Ann, Jamaica, Parkes had been living in Canada for the past 30 years.
A GoFundMe link was set up by his family to assist with funeral expenses.
“My Father was a beautiful human being who loved his family deeply. He was always kind, grateful, and willing to go above and beyond for everyone he met. A man of strong faith, he read his Bible every day and dedicated his life to the Lord. His passions included playing soccer and dominoes with his friends every night in a peaceful and friendly gathering,” one of his children posted.
The Toronto District School Board closed North Albion Collegiate Institute on Monday as police investigated.
