Toronto police say a shooting that took place in the lobby of an office building on Monday afternoon left three dead.
Toronto police said gunshots were heard around Don Mills Road and Mallard Road just before 3:30 p.m.
Initial reports suggested that three people had been injured, though police did not share any more details. Paramedics told Global News that they had not transported anyone from the scene.
In an update just after 5 p.m., investigators said three adults had been pronounced dead after the shooting.
Shahrokh Biniyaz, a graphic designer and photographer who has a studio in a building in the area, said he heard an argument and then gunshots coming from somewhere in his building on Monday afternoon.
“I didn’t know what it was, thought it was maybe a circuit breaker or something because it was really loud,” he said.
“I came out of my office and I heard some arguments in the reception … I went back to my desk and sat down, and I heard the second bang after two minutes.”
Biniyaz said at that point he walked out of his office again, heard a quarrel and then left the building through a back door.
“I called 911, police came quite fast,” he said, adding he then heard another round of gunshots.
Biniyaz said that during the argument, he’d heard the voices of two men and a woman.
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Sources told Global News the shooting was being investigated as a possible murder-suicide.
The fatal shooting also shut down a school in the area, though police stressed the office was not related to the school or a nearby daycare.
Mallard Road — which is a dead-end route leading from Don Mills Road — was taped off by emergency services, blocking access to the end of the road, where a school, daycare and other buildings are located.
Northmount School, at the end of Mallard Road, was placed into lockdown.
Police said members of its emergency task force and K9 units were clearing a building in the area, with daycare staff and children exiting. Many of those exiting the building appeared emotional as some children were picked up by their caregivers.
TTC buses were also sent to the scene to shelter those waiting to be picked up.
Around 6:30 p.m., police said all children had been picked up and reunited with their caregivers and parents.
They warned, however, that the investigation continued and both delays and road closures would continue.
— with files from The Canadian Press and Global News’ Tracy Tong
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