Community members gathered in North York, Ont., Saturday afternoon to pay their respects to Adu Boakye, the harmless man and father killed in a random taking pictures whereas strolling by a Toronto bus cease final weekend.
Boakye, a 40-year-old man from Ghana who not too long ago moved to Canada to help his household, was described as a loving son, husband, father and pal by vigil organizers.
“We lost a young man in our community last Saturday,” Emmanuel Duodu, president of the Ghanaian Canadian Association of Ontario, informed Global News through the vigil.
Duodu defined that Boakye was on his approach to run some errands when he was fatally shot.
“We’re here today to remember him and to provide some reassurance to our community that we are all in this together and support each other during difficult times,” Duodu mentioned.
“We are very touched by the support we are getting from coast to coast, not only from community members but from Canadians everywhere,” added Duodu.
Boakye was shot at a bus cease within the space of Jane Street and Driftwood Avenue – the identical one the place only a day earlier a 16-year-old boy was shot and left with life-threatening accidents.
The incidents resulted in an elevated police presence within the neighbourhood as investigators labored to find out if the assaults had been focused or random.
Police mentioned the victims had been each “completely and utterly innocent, which is a big part of what has caused alarm in this community.”
Police have mentioned the assaults had been carried out randomly by the identical suspect or suspects. They mentioned the victims didn’t know one another or the suspect, nor had been they concerned in gang exercise or something comparable.
According to police, the primary taking pictures occurred on Feb. 16 at round 6 p.m. Officers discovered a 16-year-old, who had been ready for a bus to go to volleyball follow, had been shot within the face. The boy was taken to hospital in life-threatening situation, although he has since stabilized, police mentioned.
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The second incident, involving Boakye, occurred on Feb. 17 beneath comparable circumstances. Boakye was strolling by a bus cease on the identical intersection when he was shot 3 times – twice within the abdomen and as soon as within the head. He later died in hospital.
During the vigil, Richardson Adorsu, one in all Boakye’s associates, described him as a household man who liked kids and will at all times be counted on for good recommendation.
Adorsu created a GoFundMe to assist pay for Boakye’s funeral and to assist help his spouse and 4 youngsters again in Ghana. The on-line fundraiser had raised greater than $25,000 by Saturday afternoon.
“He’s a good man. A family man, an uncle … a friend,” mentioned Adorsu.
While no arrests have been made, police have recognized a suspect. He is described as between the ages of 18-25, with a skinny construct. He was seen sporting a black coat, white hoodie, black pants, black sneakers, a black face masking and presumably a white surgical masks.
Police mentioned in addition they discovered a stolen black Acura RDX in Hamilton that was believed to be concerned in each shootings.
On Friday, Toronto police mentioned officers are looking for proof in a inexperienced area across the Valley Park Community Centre in Stoney Creek. According to a police spokesperson, the stolen Acura was present in a close-by parking zone and the exploration of Felker’s Creek is to hunt potential clues to determine the taking pictures suspect.
Toronto police have launched a photograph of the suspect believed to be concerned within the two separate shootings.
Handout / Toronto Police Service
Suspect car recognized by Toronto police.
Handout / Toronto Police Service
During Saturday’s vigil, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow mentioned, “We will not let this cowardly act strike fear in our hearts, because we want to make a point that we have a good community here. We have a strong community.”
“To the killer … or killers, you think you can strike fear in the hearts of the community? Forget it… We will track you down. Our officers, our community, will track you down and lock you away. Because you cannot get out of this senseless violence.”
— With information from Global News’ Catherine McDonald and Don Mitchell, and The Canadian Press
© 2024 Global News, a division of Corus Entertainment Inc.
https://globalnews.ca/news/10315418/adu-boakye-vigil-toronto-random-shooting/
