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Sunday, July 1, 2018

After Queen St. shooting, Toronto rap community mourns death of Smoke Dawg but police mum on victim identity

Police have reopened Queen St. W. after Saturday night’s shooting.

The Toronto rap community is in mourning after rapper Smoke Dawg was reportedly killed in a daylight shooting on Queen St. W. on Saturday.
One other man was killed and one woman was seriously wounded in the shooting.

The Toronto rap community is in mourning after rapper Smoke Dawg was reportedly killed in a daylight shooting on Queen St. W. on Saturday.
One other man was killed and one woman was seriously wounded in the shooting.
Toronto police block Queen St.W. at Spadina Ave. after a fatal shooting Saturday night. Police were called to the area of Queen and Peter Sts. just before 8 p.m. Saturday after reports of multiple shots fired. Two men were killed in the incident.
Toronto police block Queen St.W. at Spadina Ave. after a fatal shooting Saturday night. Police were called to the area of Queen and Peter Sts. just before 8 p.m. Saturday after reports of multiple shots fired. Two men were killed in the incident.  (Carlos Osorio / Toronto Star)
Toronto police left behind markings on a window of a Bell store, next to Cube night club. Two men were killed and a woman injured in a shooting in the area Saturday night.
Toronto police left behind markings on a window of a Bell store, next to Cube night club. Two men were killed and a woman injured in a shooting in the area Saturday night.  (Carlos Osorio / Toronto Star)
Police have reopened Queen St. W. after Saturday night’s shooting.
Police have reopened Queen St. W. after Saturday night’s shooting.  (Carlos Osorio / Toronto Star)
Toronto police said they were called to the area of Queen and Peter Sts. just before 8 p.m. after reports of multiple shots fired. They found one man without vital signs, and later located two other victims on the street near Cube nightclub. All were rushed to hospital.
Both men later succumbed to their injuries in hospital, police said. The woman is expected to make a recovery.
Speaking to reporters Sunday morning, Mayor John Tory said he’s “damn mad” about the rash of gun violence across the city. “I’ve talked to Chief (Mark) Saunders this morning and I know they’re hard at work on this (shooting) and some of the other shootings we’ve experienced this year,” Tory said.
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Tory reiterated that Toronto is safe, saying that gangs are “the only ones who pose a threat to the safety of the city.”
Shortly after the shooting took place, social media had filled with mourning for rapper Smoke Dawg. Although police say they are still working on confirming the identities of the men killed, friends and collaborators of the artist have already taken to Twitter and Instagram to express their sadness.
Toronto rapper Drake shared a photo of himself and Smoke Dawg performing together in an emotional Instagram story post.
“All these gifts and inner lights being extinguished lately is devastating,” he wrote. “I wish peace would wash over our city. So much talent and so many stories we never get to see play out. Rest up Smoke.”
“Smokey is gone, may our prayers follow him to heaven,” tweeted fellow artist Mustafa The Poet.
Graphic footage of a man lying on the ground who had seemingly been shot was spread across the internet in a Snapchat video that sported the caption “Smoke dawg.” Fans and friends of the rapper are asking people not to share it.
“I‘m struggling to understand how we as a society got to the point where ppl witness a man dying from gunshot wounds and their first instinct isn’t to help but to record it for snapchat. disgusting fr. rip smoke dawg,” tweeted Twitter user Aamer Snow.
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Police said one of the men was in his 20s; no ages were specified for the other two victims.
Police said two suspects were seen running north from the site of the shooting, and they may have fled the area in either a black SUV or a white car. Det. Jeff Allington said later that they were not certain of the exact number of suspects they were dealing with. No description has been given of the suspects.
Police reopened Queen St. around 9:30 a.m. Sunday morning.
With files from Jenna Moon
Premila D’Sa is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star’s radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @premila_dsa
Alexandra Jones is a general assignment reporter based in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @AlexandraMaeJ
 
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