Police confirm 3rd victim in GTHA shooting spree dies

A third man has died as a result of injuries sustained during a shooting spree last Monday that took the lives of a Toronto police officer and a Milton auto shop owner.

Halton Regional Police confirmed that 28-year-old Satwinder Singh passed away on Saturday in hospital “with his family and friends by his side.”

Singh was an international student from India who was working part-time at MK Auto Repairs at the time of the shooting, according to police.

“This is heartbreaking news for our community which hasn’t even begun to heal from Monday’s traumatic events. I urge everyone to reach out and ask for help if they need it,” said Halton Regional Police Service Chief, Stephen Tanner in a statement.

The violent rampage began when a man opened fire in a Mississauga Tim Hortons restaurant where the suspect, identified as 40-year-old Sean Petrie, shot and killed Toronto police Const. Andrew Hong in what has been described as “an ambush attack.”

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Petrie then fled the scene in a stolen black Jeep, showing up at the Milton auto body shop where three people were shot including the owner Shakeel Ashraf, who became the second victim that day.

A 34-year-old man who was also shot in the leg while working at the same auto shop is now recovering at home after being released from hospital.

Police said Petrie had worked for a short time at the auto shop, but don’t know whether he was employed at the time of the shooting.

Petrie fled and was later located in a Hamilton cemetery where he was shot and killed in an exchange of gunfire with officers from both Halton and Hamilton police.

The province’s Special Investigations Unit (SIU) is currently investigating the fatal shooting of the suspect.

According to Parole Board of Canada files obtained by CityNews Petrie had a history of robbery, drug trafficking and weapon possession.

No motive for the shooting spree has been determined, however, investigators believe Petrie deliberately targeted Hong because he was a uniformed officer. Surveillance footage shows Petrie waiting more than two hours in the parking lot prior to the officer’s arrival.

The funeral for Const. Hong, a 22-year veteran motorcycle officer, will be held on Wednesday, Sept. 21. The service will not be open to the public but they can observe the funeral procession as it travels from the Kane-Jarrett Funeral Home on Yonge Street down to the Toronto Congress Centre.

A book of condolences is currently available to be signed by the public in person at Traffic Services on Hanna Avenue or Toronto police headquarters at College Street, or online.