It’s a case that the Toronto police head of homicide simply calls “crazy.”

Six shootings that left four people dead in a 10-kilometre radius from Lawrence Heights to Runnymede over four years have all been linked to a “ruthless” group of young adults — violence police say was almost entirely random.

“It’s beyond comprehension,” Staff Insp. Greg McLane told a news conference Thursday announcing eight arrests in the deaths of four men and attempted murders of another two. The investigation, dubbed Project Sugar Horse, began in April.

The shootings happened in daylight and in the middle of the night, during crowded community barbecues and as one victim walked a dog.

The accused struck in groups and alone. They approached on foot and in cars.

In some cases, police say, the assailants plotted to kill at random — and succeeded. McLane called that randomness an “anomaly” that is becoming more common.

“It’s very concerning,” he said. “Something’s changing and we have more now than ever before . . . kids killing kids and it’s senseless.”

After six search warrants were executed Thursday, the arrests bring some resolution to years-long ordeals endured by the families of four young black men who never reached their 30th birthdays: Jermaine Smith, 28; Delano Coombs, 27; Daniel Davis, 27; and Marvin Engelbrecht, 24. All were gunned down between 2008 and 2012.

Of those, police say Smith and Coombs — both shot at the Toronto public housing Cooper Mills Townhomes on Dundas St. W. — were targeted after previous conflict with the accused.

The remaining victims were “random acts of violence,” McLane said.

“It seems that they came upon these individuals and killed them,” he said.

Some of those charged were also involved in the shootings of Kenneth Mark, 29, and an unnamed 18-year-old in September 2011, police alleged.

In September 2008, Mark was shot in the back outside a housing complex on St. Clair Ave. W. and survived.

He later testified he was shot by a man named Lamar Skeete and his younger brother. The charges against Skeete were later withdrawn and his brother acquitted.

Twelve days later, in December 2009, Mark was fatally shot in the back of the head. In 2012, a then 21-year-old Lamar Skeete was found guilty of first-degree murder in Mark’s killing, said to be retribution for taking the stand.

Police now say the man accused of Mark’s attempted murder is a 19-year-old who cannot be named because he was a youth at the time of the shooting.

Those charged are:

Aiman Khiar, a.k.a. “Bigz”, 24, for first-degree murder in the death of Smith.

Jerome Bent, a.k.a. “Germz”, 22, for first-degree murder in the death of Coombs and Davis, and attempted murder in the shooting of an 18-year-old.

Dellan McMorris, a.k.a. “Young”, 23, for first-degree murder in the death of Coombs

Shakeil Wheatle, 19, for first-degree murder in the death of Davis and Engelbrecht.

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Dwayne Willis, a.k.a. “Mafia”, 20, for first-degree murder in the death of Davis.

Amanda Rumbolt, a.k.a. “White Millie”, 29, for first-degree murder in the death of Davis and attempted murder in the shooting of an 18-year-old.

Jathursan Rajarubakumar, a.k.a. “Yadi”, 22, for first-degree murder in the death of Davis.

Bershon Roach-Ferguson, a.k.a. “Bread”, 20, for first-degree murder in the death of Davis.

Three of the accused were already in custody on unrelated charges when the remaining five were arrested Thursday.

Bent was previously found guilty for possessing a restricted firearm and was sentenced to six years in jail.

Khiar and McMorris both face firearms charges for a shooting in the Entertainment District in August.

The group doesn’t constitute an organized street gang by criminal definitions, McLane said, but those charged are all acquaintances known to hang out with each other. He said Bent and Rumbolt were dating and the group had no clear leader.

Coombs’ sister, Tricia Rodney, said she was in shock after learning of the charges.

“He’s a brother, father, uncle, cousin, nephew,” Rodney said of the quiet, funny Coombs. “I am so grateful for the team that found these people.”

Engelbrecht’s brother, Anthony, said the arrests have helped him gain a bit of closure in the death of his brother. But he’s distraught to learn the slaying was a seemingly random act.

“I feel like the people who did it obviously don’t have any value for another person’s life,” he told the Star. “My brother was a sweet, sweet person. There wasn’t a single person that knew him that had anything negative to say about him, so I feel like they just ended somebody’s life and didn’t even know how amazing that person was.”