Shots were reportedly fired during the Toronto Raptors’ victory parade Monday afternoon in Toronto.
ppl have been running from the back of the stage for some reason. hope everyone’s safe. #RaptorsParade pic.twitter.com/HRoeTZ4val
— Gelek Besthairtsang (@GelekB) June 17, 2019
According to Canada’s Global News, Toronto police said a woman was shot near Nathan Phillips Square, where millions of people were celebrating the Raptors’ victory over the Golden State Warriors in the NBA Finals. Police were called to the scene near Bay Street, just before 4 p.m. ET, and paramedics were on the scene to treat the victim.
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The Raptors ceremony has been interrupted for a serious incident. pic.twitter.com/JIzOuNzvsb
— Timothy Burke (@bubbaprog) June 17, 2019
During the celebration, fans were told to stay calm, although celebrations were put on hold for a moment before resuming. Raptors coach Nick Nurse and broadcaster Matt Devlin told the crowd to remain calm, while Toronto Mayor John Tory and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau remained on the main stage.
SHOOTING:
— Toronto Police OPS (@TPSOperations) June 17, 2019
Nathan Phillip’s Square
-Reports of woman shot
-People running from area
-Police/EMS are on scene
-Unknown what the injuries are#GO112676
^dh
Toronto police also issued a statement on Twitter, confirming reports of a woman shot and that police are already on the scene.
SHOOTING:
— Toronto Police OPS (@TPSOperations) June 17, 2019
Nathan Phillip’s Square
-Bay St and Albert St
-Police have located 2 victims
-Injuries serious but not life threatening
-2 people in custody
-2 firearms recovered
-Investigating
^dh
A follow-up tweet confirmed a second victim was located and two suspects have been arrested. Two firearms were also recovered and the investigation into the shooting will continue.
Toronto officials expected just over 2 million people at the celebrations, but overcrowding soon became a problem. The parade was expected to end by 2 p.m. ET, but was delayed.
Global News previously reported that some subway stations and other public areas were closed because of overcapacity. Yong-Dundas Square officials also put up screens to keep fans away from the most overcrowded parts of the city. At noon, city officials closed off the entrance to Nathan Phillips Square.
The crowd is getting antsy. The #RaptorsParade is running quite late. One part of the crowd ripped down a few fence pieces and another chanted “We want music” after the TVs were turned off for a bit. Strangely the parade isn’t been shown on the big screens a majority of the time. pic.twitter.com/1lGYTPMexl
— Nick Westoll (@NWestoll) June 17, 2019
“To give you a sense of how overcrowded it is, the ramp to city hall was blocked off. But in the past hour, [Toronto Police] are lifting people who want to leave up and over the wall. A lot of people are choosing to leave,” Global News sports reporter Nick Westoll tweeted.
Last week, the Raptors beat the Warriors four games to two, making them the first Canadian franchise to win an NBA championship. It was also the first time a Toronto franchise won a championship in the NBA, MLB or NHL since the Blue Jays won back-to-back World Series in 1992 and 1993.
Photo credit: Julian Avram/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
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