TORONTO

One of the two young men shot hours apart at an Etobicoke highrise earlier this week has died.

And while Toronto Police have been tight-lipped in the wake of the violence at 2063 Islington Ave., homicide investigators now confirm the two shootings are believed to be connected and most likely gang-related.

“Officers had just cleared the area after collecting forensic evidence and interviewing witnesses from the first shooting and it was literally minutes later that the second shooting occurred,” Det.-Sgt. Gary Giroux said Thursday.

“Actually, some of the same officers who were at the building for the first call responded again to the second call.”

Gunfire erupted initially around 3:15 p.m. Tuesday in the underground parking garage at the Toronto Community Housing highrise north of Dixon Ave.

Officers found a 21-year-old man out front of the complex suffering from gunshot wounds. He survived his injuries.

Police have now taken the unusual step of revealing that victim’s identity as Ahmed Siyad. A source has confirmed to the Toronto Sun that Siyad is the brother of Liban Siyad, the alleged gang member that Councillor Rob Ford’s pal Sandro Lisi is accused of extorting in relation to the Ford crack video.

Ford could not be reached Thursday night for comment, but on Tuesday, just hours after the afternoon shooting, he told the Sun he happened on the scene and the victim was badly wounded and tight-lipped.

“He wouldn’t say anything,” the Ward 2 councillor said. “He was shot once in the shoulder and twice in the lower body. It was bad.”

But the man, he said, was coherent.

Ford said he had been in the area doing constituency calls.

“I am in TCHC buildings a lot assisting people. With my assistant Dave we were helping when it happened. A woman was yelling and going crazy. It turns out someone was shot. Dave didn’t hear the gunshots where he was and I didn’t where I was.

“I don’t know where it happened for sure but I think it was the underground because no one heard the gunshots.”

Ford did not indicate he had any knowledge of the identity of the shooting victim.

Later Tuesday, around 8:15 p.m., just “moments” after the crime scene tape was taken down, shots rang out for a second time at the complex, Giroux said.

Police located a 22-year-old man at the rear of the highrise with life-threatening gunshot wounds.

After clinging to life for two days, that victim succumbed to his injuries while surrounded by family in hospital on Thursday, Giroux said.

Malcolm Marfo, of Toronto, is the city’s eighth murder victim of the year.

“His family has been co-operative,” Giroux said. “But as you can imagine, this was the worst case scenario for them.”

In an effort to catch whoever is responsible for the shootings and solve Marfo’s killing, Giroux said the investigative decision was made to release images of both victims.

“We’re hoping the public can help us to connect the dots,” he said, explaining the photos release provides potential witnesses with more information to jog their memories.

Giroux said the murder appears to be “retaliation” for the earlier shooting, but investigators can’t say for certain yet.

And while there is nothing so far to suggest the murder victim was a gang member, he believes the shootings are gang-related.

“There is certainly going to be an overarching gang element to this,” Giroux said.

He urged any witnesses who have not yet spoken to police to come forward.

Anyone with information should call Giroux at 416-808-7400, ext. 77387, Det.-Sgt. Mike Patterson at 416-808-7400, ext. 77394, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

— With files from Joe Warmington

chris.doucette@sunmedia.ca