Tuesday April 16, 2024
Mohamud Abdi Duale, 32, of Toronto, is the city’s 21st murder victim of the year. PHOTO/ Toronto Police handout
Toronto (HOL) - Toronto police have confirmed the identity of a man killed in a daylight shooting in the city's Weston area as community concerns about violence continue to grow. Mohamud Abdi Duale, 32, was fatally shot near Lawrence Avenue West and Ralph Street late Sunday afternoon. Police, who were called to the scene around 4:50 p.m. following reports of gunfire, found Duale with multiple gunshot wounds. Despite immediate life-saving efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene, becoming the city's 21st homicide victim this year.
Witnesses said the shooting happened close to a Somali restaurant called Xaraf on Rosemount Avenue.
The suspect or suspects fled the scene, and authorities currently have no descriptions available.
Police said they were unaware of how the shooting transpired and are working to find out if this was a targeted attack
Duale's murder follows closely on the heels of another killing where Ibrahim Abdikarim, a 30-year-old man, was shot dead early Thursday morning in a triple shooting in downtown Toronto. Abdikarim was the second young man in his immediate family to lose his life to gun violence. His mother, Shamso, expressed the profound grief and frustration felt by many. "It's excruciating, especially now," she told the BBC Somali service, voicing her dissatisfaction with the lack of progress of police investigations into these deaths.
The recent deaths of Duale and Abdikarim underscore a troubling pattern of violence among young Somali men, either as victims or perpetrators, across Canadian cities with significant Somali populations, as noted in recent reports. Similar violent deaths have occurred in Edmonton and Calgary this year. Community leaders and activists have been vocal about the need for targeted interventions and support systems to address the violence that disproportionately affects young Somali men.
In Toronto, the response to the shooting has galvanized local officials and community members. Coun. Frances Nunziata, representing the area, has organized a community safety meeting with Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw to discuss proactive measures to reduce violence. "In times like these, it is imperative that we come together as a community," Nunziata stated, emphasizing the need for collaboration between law enforcement and the community to create safer neighbourhoods. "My deepest condolences go out to the family and friends of the victim during this difficult time." Nunziata said that she participated in a prayer walk organized by 12 Division last week in the Weston and Lawrence area.
Ahmed Ali IImi, a University of Toronto professor studying Somali Canadian communities, added to the community perspective by addressing the broader issues contributing to the violence. He told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation: "This is a wide systemic issue, the issue of gun violence, and it's hitting certain communities, particularly young black males differently, and they seem to be either victims or perpetrators, and we need better options and solutions for our communities," he told the news outlet.