A 73-year-old man who shot and killed 5 individuals at a suburban Toronto condominium constructing earlier than law enforcement officials killed him posted recordings on his Facebook web page that he had an upcoming courtroom listening to a couple of lawsuit wherein he claimed that the constructing’s electrical room was making him sick.
During a news convention Monday, Chief James MacSween of the York Regional Police recognized the suspect in Sunday night time’s assault in Vaughan, Ontario, as Francesco Velli. He stated Velli fatally shot three males and two females and wounded a 66-year-old, who’s hospitalized.
“Three victims were members of the condominium board,” he stated.
Police stated an officer fatally shot Velli contained in the constructing, which is the place Velli and the victims lived.
MacSween stated police are nonetheless investigating the motive for the assault.
Special Investigation Unit spokesperson Kristy Denette stated police discovered the victims on totally different flooring. She stated he had a semiautomatic handgun and that investigators do not imagine he exchanged fireplace with the officer who killed him.
On Sunday and days main as much as the capturing, Villi posted movies on Facebook wherein he talked a couple of authorized dispute he had with the condominium board.
In the rambling movies, he claimed to have well being points brought on by {the electrical} room. The posts embrace recordings of phone conversations he had with attorneys concerned in his case. In one video he posted Sunday, the lawyer for the condominium famous that the condominium company requested him to promote his unit and transfer out.
“Horrendous scene,” MacSween stated late Sunday.
The particular person shot by the suspect was within the hospital and anticipated to outlive, the police chief stated..
Police evacuated the constructing however MacSween stated there was no additional risk to the neighborhood. Residents have been allowed to return house early Monday.
“Everybody is horrified,” Vaughan Mayor Steven Del Duca stated. “To wake up to this news this morning or see it last night, we are in absolute shock. … This is something I never thought I would see here.”
Mass shootings are uncommon in Canada, and Toronto has lengthy prided itself as being one of many world’s most secure massive cities.
Canadians are nervous about something that may point out they’re shifting nearer to U.S. experiences with gun violence.
While it suffers far fewer mass shootings than its American neighbor, Canada has skilled an upsurge in gun violence, which has prompted it to just lately legislate to ban handguns.
In April 2020, a gunman disguised as a policeman killed 22 individuals within the japanese province of Nova Scotia, Canada’s worst mass capturing.
In September this yr, a person killed 11 individuals and stabbed 18 others, primarily in an remoted Indigenous neighborhood in Saskatchewan province.
Firearms-related violent crimes account for lower than three p.c of all violent crimes in Canada — however since 2009 the per capita price of weapons being fired with intent to kill or wound has elevated fivefold.
Canada banned 1,500 kinds of military-grade or assault-style firearms in May 2020, days after the Nova Scotia capturing.
Parliament is presently contemplating including extra weapons to its prohibited weapons checklist, however the ruling Liberals have confronted some pushback from hunters and sports activities shooters.
AFP contributed to this report.