Pubdate: Fri, 03 Jun 2005
Source: Toronto Sun (CN ON)
Copyright: 2005, Canoe Limited Partnership.
Contact:  http://torontosun.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/457
Author: Rob Lamberti, Toronto Sun

FAILED TTC HIT TIED TO DRUGS

Mall A Point For Deals?

Detectives say they have an idea of who they're hunting for in the
wild shooting spree that left two women injured near the entrance to
the Yorkdale subway station.

Police Chief William Blair yesterday said the men involved in the
dinner-hour shooting Wednesday showed "reckless depravity."

"We believe it to be drug related," he said, adding detectives are
also working on launching a community-based anti-gang strategy, a
model which proved successful in squashing two vicious Scarborough
street gangs.

The two women, 37 and 23, each were hit in a leg, while waiting
outside the TTC station. The victims didn't know each other.

Detectives believe they know which gang the shooter belonged to, but
Blair refused to elaborate.

"It is not, and it will not, be tolerated in the city of Toronto," he
said. "We will be undertaking an anti-gun initiative in the very near
future."

Blair admitted it's difficult to provide assurances to people that the
streets are safe after an incident like the one at Yorkdale.

Detectives are reviewing a number of surveillance tapes to try to
identify those involved.

Shots were fired from a Toyota car parked near the station.

The target was a man who had just exited from the auto's rear seat.

The victim managed to dodge the bullets and fled by jumping onto a
northbound train. The suspects drove off.

The area where the shooting took place is near the upscale Yorkdale
shopping mall, which draws about 14 million people a year.

"Along with the overwhelming number of good people, you get a criminal
element," 32 Division Det. Lino Murarotto said. "The gang bangers, the
drug dealers, because they know it's a major transit point for the
public, sometimes they do their business there. It's a huge focal point."

TTC sources said the station has been flagged in the past for special
attention by Special Constables.

"What we think is happening, is that they're (drug dealers) going to
public areas to meet, and it's putting people who are nearby in peril
when things go wrong," Murarotto said.
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