Man In His 20S Dead After Shooting At Scarborough Town Centre

A man in his 20s was found dead after a shooting inside Scarborough Town Centre on Thursday afternoon, according to Toronto police.

Police received reports around 1:50 p.m. that a person was deceased inside the mall. Officers located the man in a family washroom near the lower-level food court at 300 Borough Drive, close to Highway 401 and McCowan Road. A firearm was found nearby.

Toronto paramedics pronounced the man dead at the scene.

After reviewing surveillance video, police determined the mall was safe and cordoned off the area where the incident occurred. Forensic teams examined the washroom and surrounding space while divisional investigators remained on site.

‘Potentially a Single Shot’

Toronto police acting inspector Baheer Sarvanandan told reporters that the incident may have involved only one shot, which could explain why no one inside the busy shopping centre reported hearing gunfire.

"It doesn't appear to be multiple shots, potentially a single shot," he said. "This happened in a very confined space that no one knew. It's a very busy mall and in that type of environment it's hard to hear."

Sarvanandan added that investigators have not determined whether the gunshot was self-inflicted. The case is currently being treated as a suspicious death.

Although homicide detectives have been notified, they have not taken over the investigation at this stage.

Witness Accounts and Community Response

Police said the mall was not placed under lockdown since officers believed there was no active shooter situation.

One witness, Steve Grabill, described walking out of the washroom area as officers quickly put up a screen.

"All of a sudden, a police officer said, 'There's nothing to see here, just keep on moving,'" Grabill told CBC News. "But I didn't hear a sound. Not anything at all."

Grabill, who has been visiting the mall since the 1970s, said he had never heard of a shooting at the location before and admitted the incident left him uneasy.

In a statement later that evening, Scarborough Centre councillor Michael Thompson urged residents not to avoid the mall.

"Scarborough Town Centre is a large, welcoming and vibrant gathering place which anchors the shopping activities of hundreds of thousands of residents in the eastern region of Toronto," he said.

Ongoing Investigation

Police presence remained heavy at the mall throughout Thursday as officers expanded the taped-off area. No suspect information has been released. Investigators are asking anyone with information to come forward; people can contact Toronto police at 416-808-2222, or to remain anonymous, reach out to Crime Stoppers at 416-222-8477 or online at www.222tips.com.

Credits: Original reporting by Muriel Draaisma, CBC News. Additional reporting and first/cover photo by Dale Manucdoc/CBC. Second photo courtesy of CBC News.