Community worker among arrests in shooting that killed Toronto mother with stray bullet

Toronto police have arrested and charged two more people, including a woman who worked as a community health worker, in a daytime shooting that resulted in the death of a woman who was accidentally struck by gunfire in Leslieville.

Karolina Huebner-Makurat, a 44-year-old wife and mother of two, was walking in the Queen Street East and Carlaw Avenue area around 12:30 p.m. on July 7 when she was struck by a bullet and killed. She was taken by ambulance to a nearby trauma centre, where she was later pronounced dead.

On July 13, police said Damian Hudson, a 32-year-old Toronto resident, was arrested and charged with second-degree murder in the shooting. Court documents show Hudson previously served 15 months in jail after stabbing someone in the heart, one episode in a lengthy criminal history, and police have said he was out on bail when he was arrested.

In an update from investigators on Tuesday, police said 20-year-old Ahmed Mustafa Ibrahim of Toronto was charged with manslaughter, robbery and failure to comply with probation. He was slated for a court appearance earlier this morning.

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A third person was arrested and charged. Police identified them as 23-year-old Khalila Zara Mohammed of Pickering.

She’s facing charges that include accessory after the fact to an indictable offence and obstruction of justice. Mohammed was scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday morning.

The South Riverdale Community Health Centre (SRCHC) confirmed with CityNews 680 that Mohammed was employed as a health worker at the time of the shooting.

“We were distressed to learn that one of the individuals arrested and charged as an alleged accessory after the fact and obstruction of justice in relation to the July 7 shooting has been employed as a Community Health Worker at South Riverdale Community Health Centre since 2021 in the Consumption and Treatment Centre,” a spokesperson said.

“This individual was placed on leave for unrelated concerns on Wednesday, August 9, 2023. We continue to cooperate fully with the Toronto Police Service in this investigation and have no further details about this individual’s alleged involvement.

“These allegations are deeply concerning to us and to the community,” the spokesperson added. “They are also devastating and disappointing to the many SRCHC staff who work professionally and compassionately every day to deliver a range of essential health and well-being services to patients and clients in the area.”

A fourth shooting suspect remains wanted by investigators. He’s described as 18-25 years old with an average height, slim build, and long hair in a ponytail.

He was last seen wearing a black baseball hat, a black North Face hoodie, dark-coloured jeans and white shoes. Police continue to seek the public’s assistance in identifying this suspect.