Rising gun violence not just a Toronto problem, police chief says

Chief Mark Saunders is optimistic that Toronto police will stem the recent spate of shootings in the city.

"We will curb this violence," Saunders told reporters outside police headquarters Wednesday afternoon.

"One of the things we need to take a look at is that the enforcement piece is not the way to go about it. It's one of the mechanisms but there needs to be so many other mechanisms put it in place to help some of the communities when it comes to lack of opportunities."

Saunders said the spike in gun violence is not exclusive to this city. Fatal shootings have increased 200 per cent in the first four months of this year as compared to the same time last year, police statistics reveal.

"It's happening in a lot of urban cities across North America so Toronto is not alone with this particular phenomena of what's going on right now," he said. "This is the same narrative we've had every couple of years. There is no one solution or one cause.

"My main thing is to look at how we can remove the guns that are on the street right now," Saunders said.

Earlier Wednesday, Mayor John Tory said he is hoping to work with the federal government to strengthen security at the U.S. border to stop illegal guns from crossing into the country and is asking Ottawa and the province for help funding programs that reach out to "alienated and marginalized young people."

• Police seek 2 suspects after man killed in shooting near Yonge and Eglinton

• ​Gun violence on agenda at city hall

• Shooting of 10-year-old boy leaves Toronto's east end in shock

In a letter sent to federal and provincial ministers, the mayor asked for a meeting to discuss how the different levels of government can work together to avoid more gun violence.

"Whether it's investing in new technologies, increasing officers at the border, or collaborating with our American counterparts, we have a number of potential options," Tory wrote in his letter. "We in Toronto stand ready to do our part and deploy resources as needed."

At the news conference, Tory said that preliminary conversations with both governments had been very positive.

In addition, to government help Tory highlighted some actions the city is already taking to try and weed out "these crooks and thugs" that "have no regard for the law."

The mayor said that more than 30 "state of the art" cameras are being installed in Jamestown following requests from the community. 

Some of the recent gun violence in Toronto has been concentrated in that neighbourhood. Candice Rochelle Bobb was five months pregnant when she was fatally shot in the back of car in the area last month. Her baby was delivered by emergency C-section, but died on Sunday three weeks after the shooting. 

"We have to get at the roots of the gun activity," said Tory. "There is no magic wand solution. I am concerned about all of this. It is absolutely unacceptable."

The mayor says that police need information in order to "lead to the arrest of these gangsters," and called on the public to share what they know with officers or by reaching out anonymously through Crime Stoppers.

"There is no easy answer," Tory said. "But we know that we have to work together."

Knia Singh of the African Canadian Coalition of Community Organizations welcomed Tory's comments.

"The message from the mayor was very positive and I'm glad he's reached out to the province and the feds," Singh told reporters.

"It's not enough to say we have gangsters and people pulling triggers. The real issue is why they're pulling the triggers," he said.

"Why are they OK killing each other indiscriminately anywhere? There is a lack of connection with the community, there's a lack of prospects for these young people. They need jobs, they need sufficient participation in society in order to function well in society."