Police have arrested a 21-year-old Toronto man after a shooting in the parking lot behind an Etobicoke apartment building left 28-year-old Daniel John Lypka dead early Thursday morning.

Police were called to the scene on Vanevery Street, a small residential street in the Royal York Road and Lake Shore Boulevard area, just before 3 a.m. for the sound of gunshots.

"Several witnesses have come forward and said there was some kind of an argument from the back of this building," said Det. Murray Barnes at the scene Thursday.

Paramedics rushed the man to hospital, but he later succumbed to his injuries. (Tony Smyth/CBC) When officers arrived they found a man shot and bleeding heavily in a parking lot behind a low-rise apartment building.

Paramedics performed CPR on Lypka as they transported him to a Toronto trauma centre, but he was pronounced dead in hospital.

"Last night I was sleeping I thought it was a dream, I thought a car had backfired but I wasn't sure," said Jess, a neighbour who lives across the street from where the shooting took place.

"Nothing ever happens, like ever, around here. It's a pretty safe neighbourhood."

Police say that a vehicle was seen fleeing the area after the shooting.

The vehicle has not been found. It's described as a 2001 red Honda Civic 2-door with Ontario licence plate BYHE 883. It has a sunroof and a rear spoiler.

Police believe Lypka knew the building where the shooting happened.

"This is not a random building," said Barnes. "He wasn't here for no reason, he was here specifically and I believe he's been here before."

Forensics have now arrived on scene of Vanevery st. homicide. Man shot dead around 3am <a href="https://t.co/c4OOsu1n84">pic.twitter.com/c4OOsu1n84</a> —@LindaWardCBC