Police arrest boy, 16, in fatal shooting of tow-truck driver in Rexdale

Toronto police say a 16-year-old boy is facing charges of first-degree murder and attempted murder in the shooting death of a 23-year-old man in Rexdale last May.

Police were called to the area of Panorama Court and Kipling Avenue for a report of gunfire on May 14.

When officers arrived they found 23-year-old Hashim Kinani inside a tow-truck suffering from multiple gunshot wounds.

He was rushed to hospital, but later died of his injuries. A second man was also found suffering from life-threatening gunshot wounds.

About a week later, two teenage boys, aged 15 and 17, surrendered to police and were charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder.

Police say the third teen was arrested on Tuesday, December 15, 2020.

Although the victim was a tow truck driver, police previously said they do not believe his killing is related to a violent tow truck turf war that’s made headlines in the Toronto area.

Homicide Det. Sgt. Ted Lioumanis said there was some sort of previous altercation and they believe Kinani was targeted.

“From my understanding, from what I can see so far in this investigation, it has nothing to do with that (tow truck turf war),” said Lioumanis.

Hashim’s family maintains they tried to warn police that he was in danger several times. “We called the police three times, four times and they didn’t do anything,” said his brother, Mohammed Hashim.

Mohammad told CityNews there was a gang that was harassing Hashim and they killed him over a fight that happened a month or two before he was fatally shot.