Boy, 15, identified as victim in North York shooting homicide

A 15-year-old boy has been identified as the victim of a fatal shooting on Labour Day in North York.

Toronto Police Service (TPS) officers were called to the area of Black Creek Drive and Trethewey Drive just after 7:45 p.m. on Monday.

One person was located with injuries, and life-saving measures were performed. The victim was later transported to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead.

The victim has been identified as 15-year-old Mario Giddings of Toronto. A family member of the victim tells CityNews the boy was slated to begin grade 11 at Weston Collegiate Institute on Tuesday. 

Police say the suspect(s) fled the area in a dark four-door sedan. The homicide unit has taken over the investigation, TPS confirmed.

“The investigation does show at this point that he was targeted. I can also tell you that there were multiple rounds fired at the deceased,” said Det. Sgt. Ted Lioumanis, adding they were still investigating the motive.

Giddings was shot just steps away from his apartment in the neighbourhood. His aunt, Fortunata Giddings, told CityNews she witnessed the commotion from their balcony and had no clue it was her nephew dying in the parking lot.

“I just [saw] police coming, I just [saw] the ambulance, I [saw] them giving him CPR on the floor – I saw everything but I [didn’t] know it’s him,” said Fortunata.

“You have to arrest that person because he didn’t deserve to die like that,” she added emotionally.

The owner of a pizza shop in the plaza told CityNews he was standing about two feet away from a fridge that was shattered by a bullet and there were young children eating at nearby tables.