An international exchange student wounded in Milton during a shooting that spread to the GTHA Monday is “not expected to survive,” police say.
Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah, along with Halton Regional Police Chief Steve Tanner and Mississauga Mayor Bonnie Crombie provided a detailed update Thursday morning on the incident at the Peel Regional Police headquarters.
The shooting, which took place in Mississauga, Halton and Hamilton, left Toronto police. Milton body shop owner Andrew Hong and Shakeel Ashraf were killed and three others were injured.
Police said Thursday that a 28-year-old student who worked part-time at the store was injured in the shooting and is not expected to survive.
“We are not releasing his name at this time out of respect for his family, but we hope to do so at a future date and time,” Chief Tanner said. “The third victim, a 43-year-old man, was also an employee of MK Auto Repair. He was shot in the leg and has since been released from hospital and continues to recover at home.” .
Another victim who was shot in Mississauga is in stable condition but suffered life-changing injuries, police said.
SUSPECT IDENTIFIED, HAS EXTENSIVE RECORD
During the press conference, police confirmed the identity of the gunman as Sean Petrie, 40, of no fixed address.
Mr Duraiappah said Petrie was known to police and had an “extensive criminal record”, including convictions for assault, armed robbery, carrying a concealed weapon and having a prohibited or restricted loaded firearm.
In March 2007, Petrie was placed on the National Signaling System after being deemed a “high risk” to re-offend for an offense which occurred in 2005.
Petrie’s last conviction was in 2015 for a criminal driving offence, police said.
“I can also say that investigators have interviewed known family of Mr. Petrie and learned that he had been estranged from them, and depending on which family member they spoke to, for a period of one to more than five years,” Duraiappah said.
Police released a photo of Petrie along with an image of the red Corolla he was driving when he arrived at the Tim Hortons.
“Investigators also learned that prior to the start of this tragedy, Sean Petrie drove to the scene where Officer Hong was killed in a red Toyota Corolla, where he parked the vehicle in a lot adjacent to the cafe . The car had an Ontario license plate of CXMM 077,” Duraiappah said.
Police are asking anyone with information about Petrie, the incident or the activities leading up to him to contact them at 905-453-2121, extension 3205 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.
NEW FILMING TIMELINE DETAILS REVEALED
On Monday, around 2:15 p.m., Peel police officers responded to a shooting at a Tim Hortons on Argentia Road near Winston Churchill Boulevard in Mississauga.
Upon arrival, officers found const. Hong is dead. Duraiappah said the suspect “ambushed him and shot him at close range.”
Hong was in Mississauga teaching a motorcycle training course sponsored by Peel police and was making coffee for his colleagues on his lunch break at the time of the shooting.
“The first responding officers were a combination of Constable Hong’s colleagues who were training with him at the time, as well as other subsequent officers from Peel Regional Police,” Duraiappah said.
The 48-year-old worked for Toronto police for the past 22 years and is survived by his wife, two teenage sons and his parents.
Police revealed Thursday that the gunman arrived at the cafe two hours and 15 minutes before shooting Hong.
After Hong was killed, the suspect immediately left the scene and fled across the road to an adjacent parking lot where he shot and carjacked another victim.
Less than an hour later, Halton police said the suspect drove to MK Auto Body Repairs in Milton and proceeded to shoot three people.
The owner of the shop, Ashraf, was pronounced dead at the scene. The 38-year-old man was a husband and father of two girls
Police said the suspect fled the scene but was located a short time later at a cemetery in Hamilton.
“At that time, an altercation occurred between the suspect, Sean Petrie, and members of the Hamilton and Halton Police Services. As a result, the suspect was pronounced dead at the scene,” Tanner said.
The Special Investigations Unit is investigating the events.
A funeral was held for Ashraf in Mississauga on Wednesday and a funeral for Hong is currently being planned.