TORONTO

Homicide detectives investigating a double-shooting earlier this week in a public housing building that left a man in his 20s dead and another injured say they are not aware of any relationship between the incident and Councillor Rob Ford.

Police were called to 2063 Islington Ave. on Tuesday around 3:15 p.m. for reports of gunshots in a stairwell of the Toronto Community Housing highrise north of Dixon Ave. They found 21-year-old Ahmed Siyad with bullet wounds. He was taken to hospital for treatment.

Around 8:13 p.m. — just less that five hours after the initial gun call and 13 minutes following investigators leaving the scene — residents called 911 again for more sounds of gunshots.

Malcolm Marfo, 22, was found at the rear of the highrise with life-threatening shotgun wounds. He died in hospital Thursday, becoming the city’s eighth murder victim of this year.

Ford had previously told the Toronto Sun he happened upon the scene while doing constituency calls in the area.

Det.-Sgt. Mike Patterson said during a media conference Friday said he was not aware of Ford being at the scene and he has not spoken with the former mayor. Patterson also said he was “not going to comment on any family relations” between Siyad and the Project Traveller probe.

Ford said he was not happy with being linked to the shooting.

“I don’t know what you guys are smoking asking about being connected with the shooting,” Ford told the Sun’s Joe Warmington. “You must be high on something. I was not involved in the shooting. It had nothing to do with me.”

He said he was “doing very well” on the personal front and is “very busy doing constituent’s work.”

A police source confirmed Friday Ahmed Siyad is the brother of Liban Siyad, the alleged gang member that Ford’s friend Sandro Lisi is accused of extorting in relation to the purported Ford crack video.

The police source said Ahmed Siyad will not be a witness in the Lisi extortion case currently before the courts and that there is no involvement of Lisi in this shooting.

Patterson said the homicide squad continues to comb over video footage from the building’s security cameras and believes “there are gang overtones” to this investigation.

It’s not clear whether Marfo was the intended target when he was shot multiple times. Except for one minor run-in with the law earlier in his life, Marfo did not appear to be involved in drug dealing.

“He seemed to be a loved son and brother and upstanding community member,” Patterson said. “It appears at this stage, the murder of Mr. Marfo may be retaliatory in the nature of Mr. Siyad.”

Siyad was unco-operative with members of 23 Division when he was hospital, the detective said.

“There is somebody out there that can provide some insight as to why these shootings occurred and who is responsible,” Patterson said. “I’m encouraging them to come forward and speak with us.”

Anyone with information can call 416-808-7400, ext. 77394 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).