Toronto shooting: 2 dead including shooter
Toronto, July 23 : A gunman, who opened fire at a busy Toronto restaurant strip injuring at least 14 people including a young girl, has been shot dead, Canadian police said.
The young girl, who had received critical injuries in the attack in the Danforth and Logan avenues area, on Sunday night has succumbed, the BBC reported.
The motive for the shooting is not clear yet, said police, who were appealing to witnesses for details.
Jeremy Cohn, a journalist with @globalnewsto, posted a footage from the scene, saying that "victims are spread across many blocks".
Jody Steinhauer told CBC News she was with her family in a restaurant in the area when she heard what sounded like 10 to 15 blasts of firecrackers. "We started to hear people scream out front," she said.
Some of the victims who were scattered across the ground for "many blocks", were treated at the scene, while others were taken to hospitals after the gunman dressed in black was seen firing his gun between 15 and 20 times.
The emergency services sent victims to trauma centres across the city just after the shooting started around 10 p.m. outside the restaurant on Danforth Avenue in Greektown, Toronto police Sergeant Glenn Russell told CNN.
Witnesses said they heard more than a dozen shots ring out from inside the busy restaurant. Paramedics confirmed to the media that the victims received "significant injuries" and one of them was a child.
Ten people were transported to various hospitals, including six to trauma hospitals, one to a paediatric trauma centre and one to another hospital, Toronto Paramedic Services told CNN partner CTV.
Fire Services was assisting with efforts, Toronto Fire Captain Adrian Ratushniak told CNN.
The police said it has taken witnesses from the scene by bus to be interviewed at nearby police stations. Details of the incident were still sketchy.
The scene of the attack is about 14.5km from Yonge Street, where a motorist went on a ramming rampage on April 23, which left 10 people dead and another 15 injured.
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Actor Esha Gupta returns to India after being stuck in UAE, says it was a ‘tough’ situation
Mumbai (PTI): Actor Esha Gupta on Tuesday said she has safely returned to India after being stranded in the United Arab Emirates amid escalating tension due to the Israel-US attack on Iran.
“Back home. Thank you all for your prayers and wishes. It was very tough to be in the situation we all faced. Truly God’s blessing to be safe,” Gupta said in a statement posted on Instagram.
Tensions in the middle east have escalated following a coordinated offensive launched by the United States and Israel against Iran on February 28. Iran responded by firing drones and missiles at Israel and US military installations across the Gulf, and also at the global business hub of Dubai.
The actor, best known for “Jannat 2”, “Rustom” and “Total Dhamaal”, also recounted the tense atmosphere at the Abu Dhabi airport.
“It started when I was at the airport on the 28th (Saturday). By 1 p.m., the airport was closed, chaos all around as none of us knew what had happened. Then the news started coming of the missile attack, and no one knew what the next minute held for us. Strangers consoled each other, all calling their families back home,” Gupta said.
The actor lauded the “strength” and the “composure” of the Abu Dhabi International Airport staff and added that ground security and airport personnel acted immediately to maintain order.
“I hadn’t checked in myself by then, so I took a turn and left for my hotel in Abu Dhabi,” she said, adding that passengers were provided accommodations at available hotels and highlighting the dedication of hotel staff during such a tense situation.
She further said the hotel management answered all their questions patiently to the best of their ability and that there was no shortage of any service.
“The lobby was full of people, including us, scared due to the security alert, but there was no chaos. The hotel security kept reassuring everyone. Not once did we see the people, all scared internally, create stress; we were all in this together,” Gupta said and even thanked the airline staff for their assistance.
“All this shows just the backbone of a country and its strength; they took action when needed, no blaming anyone, just strong decisions. Thank you to everyone who helped and is helping people of the world get back home. Your country is truly special,” she said.
Gupta concluded her post by thanking everyone who helped ensure her safe return.
“Thank you for our government for providing its citizens with reassurance and working towards getting us all back. Thank you to UAE government in working in solidarity with every country for the citizens of the world,” she said.
Actor Sonal Chauhan also updated her fans and admirers that she is heading back home after being stranded in Dubai.
The actor shared the update through her Instagram Stories with a few videos showing her travelling in a car on her way to the airport, with the song ‘Coming Home’ by Skylar Grey playing in the backdrop.
