‘Best person ever’: Community reeling as police ID man, 61, killed in Etobicoke shooting
Posted June 4, 2024 11:21 am.
Last Updated June 5, 2024 10:55 am.
The daughter of a 61-year-old man fatally shot outside of an Etobicoke high school last weekend has spoken out as the community tries to piece together why alleged armed suspects opened fire at a group of men.
Toronto Police Services (TPS) said Delroy “George” Parkes from Woodstock, Ont. was killed in a shooting that saw four others injured as the group was gathered following an outdoor soccer game on Sunday.
“My dad was the best person ever,” said Parkes’ daughter in an interview with CityNews. “He was a beautiful human being. He was kind and genuine. He was a man of faith.”
Authorities said Parkes was among those shot in the area of Mount Olive Drive and Kipling Avenue near North Albion Collegiate Institute at approximately 11 p.m. on Sunday.
It’s alleged that a dark pickup truck pulled up to the high school’s parking lot. Two suspects exited and allegedly opened fire before fleeing in the vehicle.
Police and medics arrived on scene and located five injured people — all men between the ages of 40 and 60. The victims were transported to a local hospital, where one of the men, identified on Tuesday as Parkes, was pronounced dead. The other four victims have injuries ranging from life-altering to non-life-threatening.
“He was loved by everybody. Everybody called him Uncle George because he was an uncle, a father, a friend to everyone,” Parkes’ daughter said.
“If he had a dollar in his pocket and you were hungry, he would give you that dollar. They were all hard-working men. Fathers, grandfathers, husbands. They all woke up every day, went to work, went home, ate dinner with their families and then came out to play soccer.”
Security footage shows similar suspect vehicle crashing in Rexdale
CityNews obtained security video of a similar, dark-coloured pickup truck crashing in front of a nearby Rexdale home following a police chase a few hours after the shooting. The video also shows a foot pursuit of multiple suspects.
A TPS spokesperson wouldn’t confirm details regarding the pickup truck in the surveillance video.
“This is an ongoing investigation, and police have not confirmed that a vehicle located in the area is connected with the shooting,” TPS said. “We are asking anyone who saw a dark-coloured pickup truck in the area at approximately 10:50 p.m. to contact police.”
A motive has not been determined. On Monday, Det.-Sgt. Phillip Campbell couldn’t say if the deceased man was being specifically targeted.
“From what I understand, it’s just a group of men gathering after playing soccer in the afternoon,” he said. “Just socializing, enjoying the fresh air. We think maybe there were 15 to 20 people (at the scene at the time).”
North Albion Collegiate Institute and the on-site daycare were closed on Monday but reopened on Tuesday.
Police couldn’t confirm if the fatal shooting was connected to two other shootings in Etobicoke over the weekend that investigators said were random.
Many community members expressed the need for stricter gun laws as police have upped their presence in nearby neighbourhoods.
“How do we stop this? We have to show the criminal element that we’re in control,” said Toronto City Councillor Vincent Crisanti (Etobicoke North). “We’re losing control of the streets.”
With files from Michael Talbot of CityNews
