

Codi Wilson, CP24.com





Police say the man gunned down in a drive-by shooting on Danforth Avenue early this morning has been identified as 20-year-old Abdullah Farah.

Speaking to reporters Sunday just steps from the crime scene, Det. Leslie Dunkley said investigators believe Farah was shot to death on the sidewalk on Danforth Avenue, near Coxwell Avenue, at around 1:30 a.m.

"What it looks like is the assailants fired several rounds from a moving vehicle and that is a vehicle we are attempting to identify at this time," Dunkley said Sunday morning.

"It is unclear how many shooters,"

The suspect vehicle has been described as a white, four-door sedan that was last seen heading eastbound on Danforth Avenue.

"We know there were several people in the area at the time of the shooting and we are seeking the public’s assistance to identify witnesses. We want them to come forward and provide some information to us," Dunkley said.

"What we know so far… is (Farah) was standing in the company of several individuals on the sidewalk and we also want to speak to those individuals."

The detective added that it appears to be a targeted shooting.

Justine Rosales, who lives in the east-end neighbourhood, told CP24 Sunday morning that she woke up to the sound of several gunshots.

"We were asleep and our bedrooms are right there so we heard the shots, about four or five of them," Rosales said.

"By the time we looked out the window, the guy was... on the ground and everybody was just scattering."

Dunkley says police are currently canvassing the area and reviewing security video in the neighbourhood.

Police ask anyone with information to call 416-808-7400 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477).

Danforth Avenue could be closed until around 5 p.m. for the ongoing homicide investigation, police say.

Violence 'associated with one address,' councillor says

The victim’s body was found on the sidewalk outside Cloud 9, a Shisha café located at 1530 Danforth Avenue.

It not the first time this address has been the scene of deadly violence.

In 2013, a Markham firefighter was fatally wounded after being stabbed repeatedly in the face and head in a random attack at 1530 Danforth Avenue, which then housed a hookah lounge called the Rotana Café.

In May 2015, Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf was gunned down in the doorway of the Rotana Café.

In an interview with CP24 Sunday, Toronto-Danforth Coun. Paula Fletcher spoke out about the violence.

“The number of bullets that were used, the ricochets could have killed anybody that was on The Danforth, it is a really major community safety issue and it is associated with, everybody believes, with one address,” she said.

“How long will the authorities continue to believe it is a coincidence?”