Toronto appears to have hit another record in a year of increased violence. According to police data recorded online, the city recorded 424 shooting in 2018, as of the last update on Monday, surpassing the previous high, set in 2016, of 407.

The 2018 total is the highest in publicly listed police data that dates back to 2014, Toronto police spokesperson Const. Jeniffer Sidhu said. Police data maintained by the Star shows 2018’s total is also higher than any year since 2005.

To access earlier police data, Sidhu said the Star should file a freedom of information request.

Louis March, founder of the Zero Gun Violence Movement, said Monday the violence in the city this year “didn’t happen overnight” as governments on all levels have been failing to address “root causes.”

One reason people are paying attention this year, he said, is that gun violence is breaching “safe zones” — areas in the city that have generally been untouched.

“There’s a difference between living in Rosedale and living in Rexdale. There’s a difference between living in High Park and living in Regent Park,” said.

In 2017, there were 392 shootings across the city — 32 fewer shootings than 2018. In 2005, then nicknamed “the year of the gun,” there were 359 shootings. Between 2006 and 2013, the number of shootings stayed between 202 to 260 shootings per year.

2014 saw the lowest number of shootings, with 177 that year. In 2015, the numbers rose dramatically, to 288 shootings.

Don Peat, communications director for Mayor John Tory, said Monday the mayor was actively focusing on addressing the root causes of violence in the city.

“Mayor Tory stated that these brazen acts of violence are unacceptable and he is confident that our police officers are doing everything possible to bring those responsible to justice,” Peat said, noting that Tory “believes we need to do everything we can to stop the supply of illegal guns, but we must also make sure that we are doing everything possible to stop people from ever even thinking about picking up a gun.”

Peat also said Tory has taken initiative towards the issue, including introducing an anti-violence plan in July, a commitment to hire more police officers, and a call to the federal government to ban handguns and increase gun control.

At a year-end press conference, Toronto police Chief Mark Saunders said 2018 was a “unique” year in terms of gun violence, and was confident that homicide numbers will decline in the new year.

He attributed the violence to an increase in street gang activity, and said there were similar trends across North America. He also emphasized the need for solutions beyond just policing.

“The enforcement piece plays an important part. I’m not here to say that it’s softer policing. I’m here to say that it’s smarter policing. There have to be agencies at the front end that prevent these young boys from shooting others,” Saunders said. “To think we can arrest our way out of this is a falsehood.”

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Last year set a record for Toronto in terms of homicides, with 96 killings as of Dec. 31. The city passed its record — 89, set in 1991 — with a shooting in November that killed 23-year-old Cardinal Licorish in an apartment building in the West Hill neighbourhood.

Of the 96 homicides, 51 were gun deaths. This number includes Reese Fallon, 18, and Julianna Kozis, 10, who were killed on a Sunday evening in late July in a mass shooting in the heart of the Greektown.

Bianca Bharti is a breaking news reporter, working out of the Star's radio room in Toronto. Follow her on Twitter: @biancabharti