Codi Wilson, CP24.com
Durham Regional Police are investigating a shooting at Pickering Ribfest that left four people wounded on Saturday night.
Gunfire erupted outside the Pickering Civic Complex, on Valley Farm Road, north of Highway 401, at around 11 p.m.
Police said they were called to the scene after “numerous gunshots” were heard outside the annual event.
According to investigators, three males were taken from the scene to hospital and fourth male victim made his own way to hospital for treatment.
All four victims sustained gunshot wounds but their injuries were not life-threatening, police confirmed Sunday.
The victims include two Ajax teens, ages 16 and 17, as well as a 20-year-old from Pickering, and a 30-year-old from North York.
They have all subsequently been released from hospital.
Police said they do not know how many guns or suspects were involved in the incident and investigators were unable to provide detailed suspect descriptions.
In a news release issued Sunday, police said they do not believe the shooting was a “random act” and asked anyone with information to come forward.
Ribfest is a 'safe event,' mayor says
Pickering Mayor Dave Ryan said he was “shocked” and "troubled" by the incident.
“This is a safe community. This is a very safe event. An unfortunately incident occurred last night but it was an incident. It is not indicative of what happens here in our community,” Ryan told reporters.
He noted that the shooting occurred outside the event and that the “robust security” at the entrance gate prevented anyone from entering with weapons.
“That has been acknowledged by (Durham Regional Police). In fact they have congratulated for us,” Ryan added.
He said the city is cooperating with police in their investigation
“We are providing them with video that is recorded around city hall and they are currently analyzing that,” Ryan said.
David Pickles, the deputy mayor of Pickering, said he hopes police will track down the perpetrators soon.
"I think people are really assured by the police presence that’s going on and the investigation. Hopefully they will get the people off the street that caused this disturbance as quickly as possible and we are very hopeful that the people who are impacted will recover very quickly," Pickles told CP24 on Sunday.
"I think everybody is shocked and unpleasantly surprised. Everybody was having a great weekend down here. We had great weather. A lot of families were out so something like this in our community is really shocking. It is something that we hear about else. We don’t really expect something like this to happen here."
Event continues Sunday
The shooting did not prevent organizers from opening up the gates again on Sunday.
“Ribfest is about fundraising. Anything that we make, we give right back to the community so it is a very important weekend to us,” Sophia Levy-Presner, the organizer of Pickering Ribfest, said Sunday.
“We have tight security. We have police here all the time. So it is very safe.”
Pickering resident Nick Foster told CP24 that he doesn’t believe the incident will dissuade people from attending the event.
“I think everyone is still going to come and have a great time,” he said. “That’s what I hope will happen.”
Two teen boys and two men were wounded when shots were fired outside a family event in Pickering, Ont., on Saturday night, Durham police say.
All suffered non-life-threatening injuries and have been treated and released, police said in the news release. Two victims, aged 17 and 16, are from Ajax. One victim, 20, is from Pickering, while another victim, 30, is from North York.
Durham Regional Police said in a news release on Sunday that the shooting is not believed to be random.
Patrons were leaving the 11th annual Pickering Ribfest in the city on the eastern border of Toronto when the shooting occurred, according to Staff Sgt. Paul Cummins of the Durham police. The event attracts thousands, he added.
Police received a call about the shooting outside the Pickering Civic Centre, at 1 The Esplanade S., shortly after 11 p.m.
A Durham Regional Police officer looks inside a police vehicle outside the Pickering Ribfest on Sunday (Natalie Nanowski/CBC) "Several gunshots were heard and fired in the area of the festival," Cummins said.
"I don't want to say they were shot into the air. I don't know. This is in the early stages of the investigation. And the investigators are still trying to determine exactly what happened," he said.
He said the gunfire erupted "in the general area" of the Ribfest.
According to the Rotary Club of Pickering, which organized the event with the Rotary Club of Ajax, the shooting occurred outside its northwest entrance. The event has resumed on Sunday.
4th victim appeared in hospital later
One of the injured was taken to Toronto's Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre. Two others were taken to a local hospital.
The fourth appeared at a hospital on his own. Police have confirmed that the fourth male victim had been attending the Ribfest.
Police have not determined whether there was an altercation before the shooting or how many guns were fired.
4 shot at the Pickering Civic Complex at the exit from Ribfest. One victim transported to SickKids, two others to trauma centre, one to local hospital. Large crime scene, multiple shots fired. @DRPS @DRPSWestDiv pic.twitter.com/Bsu84Usmj0 —@ColinWxchaser "The scene was quickly contained," Cummins added.
Pickering Mayor Dave Ryan said in a tweet that he is "shocked and deeply troubled" by the shooting.
"All levels of government must work together to get these illegal guns off our streets!" he said.
Just confirming that Ribfest is still taking place today from 12 pm to 8 pm. The secured entrance has been relocated to the north side, just past the underground parking entrance of @CityofPickering City Hall. Thank you to @DRPS for all of its assistance. —@mayordaveryan
'Commotion' at scene after shooting
Colin Williamson, a freelance news photographer based in Oshawa, Ont., arrived at the scene shortly after the shooting. He described it as chaotic and confusing.
The event was closing and people were leaving the scene.
There is a bullet hole in the back of this black car. Police were examining it after the shooting. (Supplied) He said the crime scene was large.
"There was a lot of commotion. A lot of people were still running, a lot of young people, like teenagers, and they were running around everywhere," he said.
Officers were examining two vehicles, a white minivan parked in front of city hall and a black car about 100 metres from all of the activity. The black car had a bullet hole, he said.
Police interviewing witnesses
According to police, one suspect is described as a male, black, wearing dark clothing.
Officers are interviewing witnesses and victims as they search for clues as to what happened.
Sophia Levy-Presner, president of the Rotary Club of Pickering, said there were police officers and security guards at the entrance where the shooting occurred.
Organizers have hired security from EPS Group, a firm based in Ajax, to keep the public safe, she said.
'It's very safe here'
"We're still open for business today," she said. "There was a shooting outside Ribfest. It was outside of the gate. It was pretty much over.
"Everything is a go. There's no reason to stop it. It's very safe here. There are no issues. Ribfest has been going on for 11 years and we've never had a problem before."
Anyone with information is urged to call Det. Debosky of the West Division Criminal Investigations Bureau at 1-888-579-1520 ext 2534.
I'm shocked & deeply troubled about the shootings which occurred in @CityofPickering. Kudos to Ribfest organizers for their robust security measures at the entrances, which kept trouble out. All levels of gov't must work together to get these illegal guns off our streets! pic.twitter.com/G9UwYnQojv —@mayordaveryan Police said vehicles left overnight at the scene can be picked up.
Durham Regional police say four people have been taken to hospital following a shooting outside of the Pickering Civic Complex and close to the annual Ribfest.
Codi Wilson, CTV News Toronto
Durham Regional Police are investigating a shooting at Pickering Ribfest that left four people wounded on Saturday night.
Gunfire erupted outside the Pickering Civic Complex, on Valley Farm Road, north of Highway 401, at around 11 p.m.
Police said they were called to the scene after “numerous gunshots” were heard outside the annual event.
According to investigators, three males were taken from the scene to hospital and fourth male victim made his own way to hospital for treatment.
All four victims sustained gunshot wounds but their injuries were not life-threatening, police confirmed Sunday.
The victims include two Ajax teens, ages 16 and 17, as well as a 20-year-old from Pickering, and a 30-year-old from North York.
They have all subsequently been released from hospital.
Police said they do not know how many guns or suspects were involved in the incident and investigators were unable to provide detailed suspect descriptions.
In a news release issued Sunday, police said they do not believe the shooting was a “random act” and asked anyone with information to come forward.
Ribfest is a 'safe event,' mayor says
Pickering Mayor Dave Ryan said he was “shocked” and "troubled" by the incident.
“This is a safe community. This is a very safe event. An unfortunately incident occurred last night but it was an incident. It is not indicative of what happens here in our community,” Ryan told reporters.
He noted that the shooting occurred outside the event and that the “robust security” at the entrance gate prevented anyone from entering with weapons.
“That has been acknowledged by (Durham Regional Police). In fact they have congratulated for us,” Ryan added.
He said the city is cooperating with police in their investigation
“We are providing them with video that is recorded around city hall and they are currently analyzing that,” Ryan said.
David Pickles, the deputy mayor of Pickering, said he hopes police will track down the perpetrators soon.
"I think people are really assured by the police presence that’s going on and the investigation. Hopefully they will get the people off the street that caused this disturbance as quickly as possible and we are very hopeful that the people who are impacted will recover very quickly," Pickles told CP24 on Sunday.
"I think everybody is shocked and unpleasantly surprised. Everybody was having a great weekend down here. We had great weather. A lot of families were out so something like this in our community is really shocking. It is something that we hear about else. We don’t really expect something like this to happen here."
Event continues Sunday
The shooting did not prevent organizers from opening up the gates again on Sunday.
“Ribfest is about fundraising. Anything that we make, we give right back to the community so it is a very important weekend to us,” Sophia Levy-Presner, the organizer of Pickering Ribfest, said Sunday.
“We have tight security. We have police here all the time. So it is very safe.”
Pickering resident Nick Foster told CP24 that he doesn’t believe the incident will dissuade people from attending the event.
“I think everyone is still going to come and have a great time,” he said. “That’s what I hope will happen.”
