Security video shows vehicle stalking Danforth drive-by victim

By News Staff

Toronto police have released surveillance video of a vehicle seemingly stalking three men moments before Abdullah Farah, 20, was gunned down in a drive-by shooting early last Sunday morning.

The video shows a white, four-door sedan drive by the trio three times before the hail of bullets rang out in front of Cloud Nine Café on Danforth Avenue near Coxwell Avenue at around 1:30 a.m.

Farah was struck by a bullet and died later in hospital.

Det. Leslie Dunkley said Farah and the two people he was with had tried to enter Cloud Nine Café, but were denied entry.

“He did not actually make it into the cafe,” Dunkley said at a Thursday afternoon news conference. “Shortly after, Mr. Farah turned to walk away … at which time our suspect vehicle approached (and) multiple shots were fired from the vehicle.”

Investigators say they don’t know how many people were in the car, but they are asking any potential witnesses to come forward.

The suspect vehicle was last seen fleeing at a high speed northbound on Coxwell, where it ran a red light.

Dunkley said it was “very lucky that no one else was hurt” after several stray bullets struck vehicles parked in the area.

Police are still trying to identify the men Farah was with, as well as another man he briefly spoke to on the sidewalk before he was gunned down.

“Based on the circumstances … it appears that he was targeted,” Dunkley said. “That’s how it appears to us at this time.”

But Dunkley admitted one of the other men Farah was with could have been the intended target.

Farah had no criminal record, was not before the courts, and had no known gang affiliations, Dunkely added.

The victim’s sister said he was a “mamma’s boy” and basketball fanatic who always doled out hugs before leaving the family home.

She called the situation “beyond heartbreaking” for the family and denied police suggestions that he was targeted.

Cloud Nine Café has been the scene of several violent incidents. In 2013, Markham firefighter Dominic Parker, 45, was fatally stabbed at the location, then operating under the name Rotana Café.

Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf, 21, was fatally gunned down inside the café in 2015.

The café had its tenancy terminated on Monday.

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