Murder charges dropped against accused in Danzig shooting

Two first-degree murder charges have been dropped against Shaquan Mesquito, one of the men accused in the 2012 Danzig shooting.

A charge of attempted murder, 23 counts of aggravated assault, and a reckless discharge of a firearm charge were also dropped on Friday.

Shyanne Charles, 14, and Joshua Yasay, 23, were killed and 22 others were injured at the barbeque.

Mesquito took to social media at the time, taking credit for the shooting. Video surveillance later showed he was nowhere near the shooting at the time it happened.

He’s pleaded guilty to other charges, including counselling to murder and uttering a threat to a person to cause bodily harm.

He has been sentenced to nine years less time served, so has five years and three months left.

The shooting, which occurred on July 16, 2012, was called an “unprecedented” episode of violence by Toronto police.

A block party was hosted by a housing complex near Morningside Avenue and Danzig Street in Scarborough.

Mesquito was determined to attend but needed permission because he was from Malvern.

He obtained permission to attend from an unidentified associate of the Galloway boys, a street gang that operates out of Danzig.

He attended the party unarmed. At around 8:30 p.m., the organizers were informed that Mesquito was there.

A youth who was at the party acting as security was armed and told Mesquito he was not welcome and threatened to shoot if he did not leave.

When leaving, Mesquito said that he intended to return to the party and “shoot it up.”

He left and actively requested his friends give him a loaded firearm and recruited others to join him in his intent to shoot.

He again told other young women headed to the party that he was going back to shoot and for them not to attend the party.

When word got back to the party about Mesquito’s intentions, a man named Nahom Tsegazab armed himself with a firearm.

The Galloway boys prepared themselves for a possible shoot-out and the mood at the party changed for the worse.

A young person from east Scarborough attended the barbeque and got into an argument that led to the shoot-out.

Two-hundred people were there, two people were killed and 23 others suffered gunshot wounds.

Mesquito was not one of the shooters.

At the time of the gunfight he can be seen on security video at an apartment lobby on Lawrence Avenue.

After the gunfight, Mesquito sent out messages claiming responsibility for the shooting.

He was arrested on July 27, 2012 while exiting a TTC bus and was carrying a loaded firearm.

Tsegazab was sentenced to 14 years in 2014.

– With files from The Canadian Press

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