Another innocent man shot down in dinnertime "gun battle"

A man shot to death during a dinnertime "gun battle" in east Chinatown yesterday is believed to have been an innocent bystander, the second to be killed in the city by gunfire in a week.
Police arrived at the Fu Yao Supermarket on Gerrard Street East near Broadview Avenue about 6:10 p.m. after witnesses reported seeing two men shooting at one another nearby.
Staff Sergeant Courtney Chambers said the victim, believed to be in his 40s, was much farther down the street when he was struck. He had collapsed in front of the grocery store and had no vital signs when emergency crews arrived, police said. The man was taken to St. Michael's Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
"One of the angles we're looking at at this time is that he was an innocent bystander," Staff Sgt. Chambers said.

Shell casings were found strewn across the street and a bullet had gone through the storefront window.
Staff Sgt. Chambers said officers are canvassing the neighbourhood, adding that they expect several witnesses to come forward because it is a busy street, especially at that time of day.
A man who identified himself as Phil told reporters at the scene he heard as many as six shots and saw two men run toward a car. Kristin Carson, who lives across the street, told reporters she saw the man lying in the doorway of the store.
Police said they're looking for at least two people, who fled the scene in a silver car. No arrests had been made as of last night.
Standing in front of the crime scene last night, Police Chief Bill Blair said: "It's happened again tonight."
Chief Blair earlier condemned the brazen shooting on CP24's The Chief. "The loss of another innocent life is senseless and reckless," he said. "Use of guns on our streets is totally unacceptable and frankly, for every man and woman of my service who work so hard to keep our city safe, it's frustrating, it's infuriating and we're absolutely committed to getting those gunmen off the street and doing everything we can to keep our city safe."
The death is the third homicide of this year.
Early Saturday morning, John O'Keefe, a 42-year-old father, was on his way to the subway after a night at a pub on Yonge Street when he walked into the path of a bullet intended for someone else. Two men have been arrested and charged in connection with that incident.
A trust fund has been set up for Mr. O'Keefe's only child, Iain O'Keefe-Kaufmann, 9. Donations go toward Iain's education and can be made at Toronto Scotiabank branches.

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