York Region police had a heavy presence at an East Gwillimbury restaurant as they continue to seek three suspects in a homicide investigation Wednesday.

Police responded to a call from a gunshot report at around 3 p.m. in Whitchurch-Stouffville. A male body with obvious signs of trauma was discovered in a church parking lot on Ninth Line, just north of Aurora Sideroad.

The brazen daylight incident may be connected to an North Burger restaurant in East Gwillimbury. Police secured the parking lot of the restaurant on Highway 48, just north of Mount Albert Sideroad, had a heavy presence there Wednesday afternoon.

The owner of Railyard Wake Park, Christine Benns, confirmed police have been searching the grounds of the restaurant site.

Ballantrae Country Club resident John Allardyce, whose house is next to the crime scene, said helicopters and emergency vehicles flooded to the scene. He went to see what was happening and was told the incident happened 10 minutes north of the location.

“You don’t expect something like this to happen in a little place in the middle of nowhere,” he said.