Toronto rapper ‘Houdini’ identified as victim in fatal downtown shooting: police

The 21-year-old man who died after a brazen daylight shooting in downtown Toronto on Tuesday afternoon has been identified.

Police confirmed on Wednesday that the deceased man is Dimarjio Jenkins, of Toronto.

Jenkins was a well-known Toronto rapper who went by the name “Houdini.”

He’s the 30th homicide victim of 2020.

Two others were injured after what police are calling a targeted shooting near King Street and Blue Jays Way just after 4 p.m.

A 15-year-old boy suffered life-threatening injuries and a 27-year-old woman suffered serious, non-life-threatening injuries.

Chief Mark Saunders said the woman is believed to be an innocent bystander.

A fourth person was assessed on the scene for minor, non-shooting-related injuries.

Chief Saunders said the suspect vehicle has been identified as a blue Tiguan.

The vehicle waited on the scene, facing north, for approximately 40 minutes for the victims to arrive.

When the victims were making their way into another vehicle, the suspect vehicle made a U-turn, a person got out from the passenger’s side and began firing shots.

The victims ran south and the suspect chased them while firing.

The suspect got back into the Tiguan and the vehicle fled the scene southbound on Peter Street, west on Front Street and then north on Spadina Avenue.

The other vehicle also left the scene and police are trying to locate both. It is unclear how many occupants were in each vehicle.

The homicide squad has been called to investigate.

Chief Saunders called the case “very solvable” because of the amount of security cameras in the area and based on the amount of evidence they have gathered early on in the investigation.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police or Crime Stoppers.

Warner Music Canada, which worked with Jenkins on a compliation album showcasing Toronto’s “rising stars,” says the young man was “exceptionally talented.”

“Houdini had unlimited potential as an artist and we are incredibly saddened that his life was cut short,” said Warner Music Canada president Steve Kane. “Our thoughts are with his family during this unimaginable time. We urge our elected officials to help address the root causes of gun violence and put an end to these tragedies.”

Note: An earlier version of this article said the deceased male was 16 years old as per initial police reports. Toronto police later corrected the age of the male to 21 years old. The article has been edited to reflect the correct age of the deceased victim.

With files from The Canadian Press