Three males are on the run after a brazen shooting that sent a 16-year-old boy to hospital and horrified a downtown neighbourhood Monday afternoon.

Police rushed to the corner of Besserer St. and Chapel St. after reports that shots had been fired at 3:08 p.m., just as children were walking home from school.

At least one youngster saw the shooting, according to a witness who gave a statement to police.

“The (man) shot the other guy, and (then) he looked at the kid and said ‘What are you looking at?’” said Chantale, who did not want her last name published.

“The little kid ran away.”

Chantale said she provided police with a description of the shooter, whom she described as a black male.

“I saw his face, but I was scared,” she said.

The 16-year-old boy was struck in the face and back. There was at least one shotgun blast, but the Sun was told multiple shots may have been fired.

The teen’s wounds were consistent with buckshot, a source said.

The victim was rushed to the hospital in serious but stable condition.

Police said late Monday he’s expected to survive.

Cops had taped off a parking lot across the street from the Belgarde apartment complex at 385 Besserer St., as well as a patch of grass on the corner where the boy was initially treated by paramedics.

A discarded shoe and some other articles of clothing sat in the grass as investigators worked the scene Monday night, collecting evidence and witness statements.

An hour after the shooting Insp. John Medeiros was standing on the corner where it took place.

“There were three people running from the scene,” he said, adding they were all male.

Medeiros said a black convertible-style Mustang (with the top up) was seen leaving the area at the time of the shooting.

The vehicle was headed south and it’s possible the shooter was inside when it drove away.

As of late Monday no arrests had been made and cops had not released a licence plate of the suspect vehicle.

While looking around up at the rooftops of nearby buildings, Medeiros said no immediate surveillance footage was available where the shooting took place.

“Maybe there’s some at the intersection,” he said. “But that’ll be part of the investigation.”

He told reporters it was too early to tell if the shooting was gang-related.

Medeiros went to CHEO Monday night and said the boy’s condition hadn’t changed.

The investigation has been turned over to the Guns and Gangs unit.

Christine Dufaure, who lives in the area, said the shooting raises concerns for nearby residents.

The area has gotten “20 times worse,” she said, adding that multiple stabbings have occurred through the years but she never expected a shooting.

One man said he heard a loud noise.

“We thought it was a popped tire or something,” said Christopher Jacko, who also lives in the area. “It’s pretty sad to hear stuff like this.”

A second shooting occurred late Monday afternoon in the city's west end.

Police said it happened in the area of Merivale and Baseline Road at approximately 5:30pm.

The suspects in the later shooting are described as a black male, 20 to 25 years old, 5-feet 6-inches tall, carrying a handgun and a Middle Eastern male, 25 years with brown hair.

Injuries to the victim are non- life threatening.

Police did not say if the two shootings were related.

NEWS BLOG: For real-time updates and developments from our team of journalists covering this incident, scroll to the bottom of this story.