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Two people are dead after a shooting in a Brampton elementary schoolyard late Friday, according to Peel police.
Around 10:30 p.m., a shooting happened on the St. Joachim Elementary School grounds near Rutherford Road and Weybridge Trail, Peel police said in a news conference Saturday morning.
Two victims, a man in his 20s and a male youth were shot and died on scene, said Cst. Laurie McCann, spokesperson for Peel Regional Police (PRP.) She said the shots could have been fired by multiple people.
“There was some sort of altercation that occurred in the school grounds with several individuals,” she told reporters Saturday.
Police say they’re still searching for suspects, who fled the scene before police arrived.
“We are unsure at this time if they fled on foot or got into a vehicle,” McCann said.
McCann said PRP’s homicide unit is investigating the incident and officers will have a large presence in the area.
Officers are looking into the relationship between the suspects and victims, but believe the shooting was targeted.
In a statement Saturday, Brampton Mayor Patrick Brown said he extends his “heartfelt condolences” to the families, friends and loved ones of the victims.
“While this incident is not connected to the school itself and there is no threat to public safety, any act of gun violence is one too many,” he said.
Brown added the incident is a “stark reminder” of the need for all levels of government to come together and work to address illegal firearms.
“We recognize how unsettling incidents like this are and the impact they can have on our community, and our priority remains the safety and wellbeing of our city,” he said.
Police are asking anyone with information, footage or who may have witnessed the shooting to contact them.
