Toronto’s bloodiest year for gun violence is coming to a close.

It started early on Jan. 1, 2019, when a man was shot at Oakwood Avenue and Vaughan Road. He was rushed to a trauma centre and survived.

And the violence continued until the last day of the year, with a double shooting near Jane Street and Finch Avenue West in the early hours of New Year’s Eve, and another man shot and killed in the evening. The two victims of the first shooting, both men, were rushed to hospital in serious condition. The victim of the second died in hospital after being shot in Scarborough at Neilson Road and Crow Trail, near Finch Avenue East.

As of 9 p.m. on New Year’s Eve, 292 people had been killed or injured in shootings in the city, 56 more than the previous year, which itself set a record for the most people shot in police data that goes back 15 years.

Despite a more than 20 per cent increase in the number of shootings compared to 2018, this year saw seven fewer people killed by guns.

Experts say that the combined total of injuries and deaths is a better measure of overall gun violence than fatal shootings alone, in part because whether a victim lives or dies can be decided by factors like health care, time of day or random chance.

In an emailed statement, Courtney Glen, a spokesperson for Mayor John Tory, said the mayor continues to work closely with Toronto police to address gun and gang violence in the city, including funding for more front line and neighbourhood police officers in 2020, as well as more investment in communities to address the roots of violence.

Tory “will continue to advocate for investments from the province and federal governments, while also calling for much tougher bail and sentencing laws when it comes to gun crimes,” Glen said.

She added that the mayor plans to bring together the mayors of GTA municipalities, police chiefs and representatives from the provincial and federal governments to discuss “what else we can do across our region to address gun violence.”

At his year-end news conference, dominated by the topic of gun violence, Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders emphasized the city’s policing needs are growing increasingly complex.

In 2020, Toronto police will continue an approach they adopted during Project Community Space, a $4.5-million anti-gun violence project that wrapped after 15 weeks in late November.

The project saw an increase in officer presence in strategic areas leading to hundreds of arrests, but ultimately did not result in a reduction in shootings.

Saunders in particular emphasized that more “strategic” enforcement during the project had led to significant gun seizures.

In the past, police “would blanket communities with officers,” which he acknowledged was divisive among some residents. This time they relied more on the guns and gangs and intelligence units to be “a lot more surgical.”

Saunders said the spike in gun violence is partially attributed to the drug trade, particularly around the highly addictive opioid fentanyl, which he said has been a “game changer.”

The city and police also led a gun buyback program, resulting in the surrender of 3,100 firearms, including 2,300 handguns, according to the mayor’s office.

Accounting for population growth, the rate of gun violence in 2019 far exceeded even 2005, which was dubbed “the year of the gun” amid a record 51 gun homicides, the same total as 2018, which also set the city’s record for the most overall homicides, at 96.

Forty-three men and one woman have been killed in shootings in Toronto in 2019. They are:

Aseel Yehya, 18, who was shot on Elmhurst Dr. near Redwater Dr. in Etobicoke on Jan. 9 after police said a dark-coloured vehicle approached him.

Lingathasan Suntharamoorthy, 36, who was shot in an apartment building near Dundalk Dr. and Antrim Cres. on Jan. 12.

Jaunoi Christian, 24, who was shot outside a nightclub on Queen St. E. near Parliament St. on Feb. 8. Ibrahim Khiar, 33, of Toronto, was charged with first-degree murder on Feb. 20.

Veronika Mrhova, 24, who was shot while sitting in a Mercedes-Benz near Lake Shore Blvd. and Silver Moon Dr. early on Feb. 10. She died in hospital five days later.

Dean Howlett, 25, who was shot in an apartment building on Lawrence Ave. E. west of Kingston Rd. in Scarborough on Feb. 12. Naod Tsegazab, 22, of Toronto, was later charged with second-degree murder.

Nicklus McKain, 18, who was shot near 18 John Garland Blvd., near Kipling Ave. and Albion Rd., in Rexdale on Feb. 24. He died in hospital.

Nashwan Yonan, 32, who was shot at a gas station at Eglinton Ave. E. and Avenue Rd. shortly after midnight on March 8. He died in hospital nearly two weeks later on March 21.

Martin Anthony Johnson, 51, who was shot at a North York apartment complex near Keele St. and Sheppard Ave. W. on March 11.

Jerome Belle, 22, who was shot near Dundas West subway station in the Junction at about 3:30 p.m. March 19. He died in hospital.

Jermaine Gerard Skeete, 34, who was shot at 571 Vaughan Rd. near Oakwood Ave. on April 21. He later died in hospital.

Lawrence Taylor Gannon, 28, who was shot on Ivy Green Cres., near Brimorton Dr. and Orton Park Rd., in Scarborough on April 28. He died in hospital two days later.

Blain Gerrado Grindley, 26, who was shot in Rexdale near John Garland Blvd. and Humber College Blvd. on May 1. Michael Smith, 29, of Toronto, was charged with first degree murder.

Justin Kyle Ezeard, 23, who was shot at a commercial establishment near Steeles Ave. W. and Islington Ave. on May 3. Shawn Vassel, 35, of Toronto, is charged with second-degree murder.

Jaydin Simpson, 17, who was shot in a parking lot near Danzig St. and Morningside Ave. in Scarborough on June 28.

Christopher Teape, 25, and Ahmed Mohamud, 32, both from Toronto, who were shot at an apartment building on Emmett Ave., near Jane St. and Eglinton Ave. W., on June 29. A third man was also shot, and suffered non life-threatening injuries. Denzil Kemoy Williams, 33, of Toronto, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder.

Jordan Armstrong, 33, who was shot inside Orchid nightclub on Peter St., near Spadina Ave., on June 30. Staff found the club promoter suffering from gunshot wounds at 3 a.m., and he later died in hospital.

Hanad Abdullahi Ali, 16, who was shot at Falstaff Ave. near Jane St. around 1 a.m. on Aug. 1.

Kevin Reddick, 29, who was shot in East York near Wakunda Pl. and Parma Ct., just before 2:20 p.m. Aug. 9.

Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading... Loading...

Paolo Caputo, 64, who was shot in front of his restaurant on Roncesvalles Ave., near Grenadier Rd., just after 4 p.m. Aug. 16. Police are looking for one suspect who fled the scene after jumping in a waiting car. Caputo was an associate of Montreal mob boss Vito Rizzuto.

Minh Le, 61, who was shot in a North York plaza at around 10:50 p.m. Aug. 19. He died in hospital two days later. He was found lying on the ground in a parking lot near a McDonald’s drive thru at Weston Rd. and Highway 401.

Abdikani Ismail, 33, of Toronto, who was shot while he was driving on Weston Rd., near Jane St., at about 9:10 p.m. Aug. 21.

Alexis Charles, 46, of Toronto, who was shot just after 5 a.m. Aug. 25 on Toryork Dr., near Fenmar Dr. and Steeles Ave. W. A 17-year-old boy was arrested and charged with second-degree murder three months later.

Vito Lapolla, 72, who was shot outside a café in the area of Dufferin St. and Glencairn Ave. on Sept. 16.

Charankan Chandrakanthan, 25, who was shot in a parking lot near Middlefield Road and McNicoll Avenue in Scarborough on Sept. 19. Police charged 22-year-old Stouffville man, Saranraj Sivakumar, with second-degree murder and attempted murder.

Donovan Betty, 21, who was shot in the parking lot of 545 The West Mall on Sept. 24.

Amir Naraine, 21, of Toronto, who was shot on Sept. 29. His body was found in a car near Kipling Avenue and Steeles Avenue West, although police believe he may have been shot elsewhere.

Delauntae Bryant, 24, and Eric Rowe, 20, who were shot on Oct. 1 near Grandravine Drive and Driftwood Avenue. Police say a group of gunmen were on a shooting spree in the hour leading up to the double homicide.

Farhan Jama, 28, who was shot by several suspects outside his home near Albion Road and Finch Avenue West in Rexdale on Oct. 14 at around 12:30 a.m.

Michael Huynh, 30, who was shot near Don Mills Road and Steeles Avenue East around 7:30 p.m. on Oct. 17.

Tresor Tresor Kininga, 36, of Toronto, who was shot at Windermere Avenue and Swansea Mews, west of High Park, just before 8 p.m. on Oct. 19.

Antonio Fiorda, 50, who died in hospital following a daylight shooting near Sherway Gardens mall in Etobicoke on Nov. 4.

Warren Pearson, 21, who was shot in an apartment building stairwell near Dawes Road and Danforth Avenue on Nov. 5.

Miganeh Idriss, 20, who was shot in a bar near Jane St. and Lawrence Avenue West on Nov. 7.

Craig Campbell, 42, who was shot near Vaughan Road and Oakwood Avenue around 1:40 a.m. on Nov. 16.

Zachary Antrobus, 27, who was shot in an apartment lobby on Danforth Road north of Eglinton Avenue East at around 4:40 p.m. on Nov. 23.

Terrence Agtual, 28, who was shot in the southbound lane of Highway 400 at around 7 p.m. on Dec. 8. Agtual was one of three people in the car when it was shot at.

Jeremy Vincent Urbina, 22, who was shot in the Finch Avenue East and Leslie Avenue area at approximately 8 p.m. on Dec. 11. In a news conference, Toronto police described the shooting as “callous, cowardly and evil incarnate.”

Dwight Angus, 38, who was shot in a car near Wilson Avenue and Keele Street around 11:25 p.m. on Dec. 14. Police arrested Edgar Stalin Brown, 38, of Toronto, the next day and charged him with second-degree murder.

Domonic Romal Kelly, 26, who was shot in the area of The West Mall and Eva Road on Dec. 27 after reports of “sounds of machine gunfire.”

Koshin Yusuf, 26, who was shot near McCowan Road and Trudelle Street on Dec. 29.

An unnamed man was shot near Neilson Road and Crow Trail just after 6 p.m. on New Year’s Eve.

With files from Wendy Gillis and Star staff