Toronto police have identified 18-year-old Malik Abass as the man killed in a Saturday afternoon shooting in Etobicoke, the Toronto Star reports. Officers were called to the area of Rathburn Road and The East Mall shortly before 4:30 p.m., according to a police social media post cited by the Star.
Investigators are searching for two male suspects who were wearing dark clothing and left the scene before officers arrived, Insp. Jeff Allington told reporters near the site on Saturday night.
Why it matters
The killing marks another fatal shooting in a residential part of west Toronto, and it has left a neighbourhood grappling with violence that unfolded in daylight. Allington acknowledged the impact directly, telling reporters that an incident of this kind can be deeply unsettling for people who live and work nearby, the Star reports.
The case is also at its earliest stage. With no arrests announced and two suspects described only by clothing, police are leaning on the public — particularly residents with doorbell or security footage — to help build a picture of what happened.
What witnesses described
A nearby business operator, Valerie Machuca, told the Star she heard gunfire in two distinct bursts. She described an initial round of roughly eight to ten shots, followed two or three minutes later by a similar volley, and said the experience was deeply distressing.
Her account, as reported by the Star, offers one of the few public windows into the sequence of events on Saturday afternoon. Police have not released further details about the circumstances of the shooting or what may have preceded it.
Police appeal for video and information
Allington said the investigation remains in its very early stages. Additional officers were expected to canvass the neighbourhood on Saturday night and likely again on Sunday, the Star reports.
He asked anyone who was in the area to come forward, specifically urging residents to review any home camera footage and to report anything that seemed out of place. That request reflects a familiar pattern in shooting investigations, where private video often fills gaps that officers cannot close on their own.
The shooting drew coverage from multiple Toronto outlets over the weekend, with CityNews, CP24, CTV News and the Toronto Sun all reporting on the incident and its aftermath. The Star's account, based on Allington's remarks at the scene, remains the most detailed public description of the police response and the search for suspects.
What to watch
No arrests had been announced as of the Star's reporting. Anyone with information is being asked to contact Toronto police as investigators continue canvassing the area and reviewing footage.
