Murdered man ‘died a hero, trying to protect children’: family
Posted September 1, 2011 10:19 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The family of Jermaine Smith, who was killed in a brazen and “cowardly” shooting, was consoled knowing he died “a hero,” trying to shield children from the hail of bullets fired at a community picnic.
Smith, a 28-year-old father, was murdered Saturday night at a barbecue held at the Copper Mills townhouse complex at 4020 Dundas St. W., near Scarlett Road. He was standing by his car in the parking lot — just five feet away from a playground — when the gunman fired.
Toronto Police Det. Sgt. Wayne Banks said several children, under the age of 14, witnessed the horrifying incident in which Smith was shot several times in the neck and head just before 10 p.m. Those youngsters are among the witnesses that provided investigators with details of the crime.
“At the time of the shooting … Mr. Smith was seen pushing young children away to prevent them from coming to any harm,” Banks said at a news conference Thursday.
Smith’s two sisters and brother attended that news conference, and too grief-stricken to speak, they issued a statement, praising his bravery and appealing to the public to come forward with information.
“Our only consolation is that Jermaine died a hero, trying to protect children at this community event,” the family said in the statement.
“This is proof of his character as a man and a father. He had a great affection and love in his heart for children.”
Smith’s murder was one of five shootings across the GTA over the weekend. The spate of gun violence spilled over into this week. Four men have been shot across the city since Monday.
“The violence must end now,” the family said. “We … earnestly implore for the public’s assistance in solving this murder.”
Toronto Police also issued an appeal for tips on YouTube.
Banks said there were between 100 and 150 people at the barbecue. Police know many of them don’t live in the area because several were seen getting into their vehicles and leaving the scene before officers arrived.
Police don’t believe this was a random shooting and say Smith has no criminal links. Detectives don’t have a motive yet and will be investigating possible links to other recent shootings in the area and across the city.
Investigators still don’t have a solid description of the suspect.
Anyone with information on the murder can call Toronto Police at (416) 808-7400 or Crime Stoppers at (416) 222-TIPS.
