Toronto police are searching for three suspects after a 16-year-old boy was killed in an overnight shooting at a Toronto Community Housing property in North York.

Family and friends of the victim identified him as Hanad Abdullahi on Thursday morning.

Police were called to the scene shortly after 1 a.m. for reports of shots fired at the highrise apartment building at 30 Fallstaff Ave. near Jane Street and Highway 401.

Officers found the male victim in a stairwell. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

A police officer told CBC Toronto a number of bullet casings were scattered around the area of the shooting.

The fatal shooting took place inside a high-rise Toronto Community Housing building. (Jeremy Cohn/CBC)

Toronto police homicide detectives have now taken charge of the investigation.

Investigators say three male suspects were seen fleeing the area. They are believed to be driving a dark-coloured Honda vehicle.