Mother of 2 killed in Leslieville remembered by friends, community as a ‘shining light’

A woman who was running a simple errand before she was struck by a stray bullet and killed is being remembered as a “kind soul” and a “shining light” by friends and members of the Leslieville community.

Karolina Huebner-Makurat – also known as Caroline to her friends – was walking in the area of Queen Street East and Carlaw Avenue to pick up lunch when gunshots rang out just before 12:30 p.m. Friday. A stray bullet struck the 44-year-old wife and mother of two, who was taken by ambulance to a nearby trauma centre where she was later pronounced dead.

A GoFundMe page which has been set up by her friends says the family is “heartbroken by this senseless passing.”

“She was a shining light in the lives of her two beautiful daughters, aged 7 and 4. The sudden loss of their beloved mother has left these innocent young souls grappling with unimaginable grief and uncertainty about their future,” reads the campaign post.

“Caroline was more than just a mother; she was a constant source of love, strength, and support for her girls. She worked tirelessly to provide them with a nurturing and stable environment, striving to give them the best opportunities in life.”

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Organizers of the fund say the money collected will be used for the emotional and psychological well-being of the family, educational purposes and for a cause that was dear to the Huebner-Makurat family.

“Caroline’s spirit will forever live on in her children, and through our collective efforts, we can ensure her legacy continues to shine brightly.”

In a brief statement to CityNews, Karolina’s husband, Adrian, called on people to “reach out to friends, families or colleagues that you haven’t spoken to in a while” adding that “trauma like this brings people together, which is nice, but communication shouldn’t be dependent on hardship.” It’s a message he says his wife would have wanted to share with everyone.

Mayor-elect Olivia Chow addressed the tragic killing on Monday.

“My condolences to the family and loves ones of Karolina Huebner-Makurat. I can’t imagine the grief and the shock coming from the Leslieville community,” Chow said.

“It’s difficult when we see this kind of violence and I’ll do what I can to combat it. I’ve talked to some of the senior staff and we’ll have a strategy put in place.”

Flowers and messages left at a memorial on Queen Street East for Karolina Huebner-Makurat. CITYNEWS

Meanwhile, a memorial for Huebner-Makurat continues to grow at the scene where she was shot and killed.

“Why should this happen in the middle of the day,” said a man who stopped by the memorial to lay flowers with his family. He tells CityNews he knew Karolina for almost 10 years and is friends with her husband.

“She was one of those, the good ones, they always go first.”

Others who stopped by expressed frustration that something so senseless could happen in their neighbourhood.

“It’s not something you think would ever happen nearby but it can happen anywhere, right?” said another man who stopped by to pay his respects. “It’s a terrible thought to think wrong place at the wrong time.”

Police announced Sunday they are looking for three men who were involved in a physical altercation in the area when two of them pulled out handguns and began shooting at each other.