Toronto cafe shooting
The deceased, identified as Maria Voci, 47, and Christopher de Simone, 24, were pronounced dead by paramedics on scene. A visibly shaken woman was outside the Moka cafe/espresso bar telling media she was gravely concerned for her husband. His car was outside the cafe and she believed he was inside at the time of the shooting but did not know his fate. It’s not known if the deceased male was her husband.
Police say a man walked into the cafe and began firing, though it is unclear if he had specific targets or was looking to kill whomever he saw. After firing about 10 shots, he turned and fled. Constable Andy Pattenden said the two wounded persons are in hospital, one in stable condition, one with life-threatening injuries.
Constable Pattenden did not initially release names or genders of the victims, waiting until next of kin were notified. They have not yet released a full description of the shooter but said the suspect is male with “darker skin.” He left the scene in a darker colored compact vehicle and drove south on Islington Ave., Constable Pattenden said.
Police are canvassing the area asking businesses for surveillance video and are asking the public for help. “We are appealing to anyone who might have seen anything in the area this morning around 8:18 to please contact York Regional Police,” Constable Pattenden said.
The area, at Islington Ave. and Highway 7, is not far from the scene of prior shootings and has been connected to organized crime in the recent past. Constable Pattenden said it was “way too early in the investigation” to make such a connection in Wednesday’s shooting.
