Toronto police officer killed in Mississauga; three shot in Milton and suspect dead in Hamilton

A Toronto police officer is one of two people killed and a suspect is dead following a string of shootings in Mississauga, Milton and Hamilton Monday afternoon, multiple sources confirm to the Star.

The multi-part shooting — with crime scenes spread out across the GTHA — began just after 2:15 p.m. Monday when two people were shot near a Tim Horton’s near Argentia Road near Winston Churchill Boulevard. One was transported to a trauma centre, police said.

One of those killed in Mississauga was a Toronto police officer, sources said.

A second person was killed in a separate triple shooting in Milton about 30 minutes later.

According to sources, the suspect in both shootings was then shot and killed in an interaction with Halton police in Hamilton.

Several sources told the Star the Toronto police officer who was killed was participating in a training session and that Toronto police chief James Ramer is en route to the scene.

Minutes after the initial shooting, Peel police tweeted that the suspect — described as Black, with a thin build and black hair, wearing all black and a yellow construction vest — had fled the scene in a black Jeep Cherokee with licence plate number CLMZ905.

Around 2:50 p.m. in nearby Milton, Halton Region said one person was killed and two injured in a separate triple shooting on Bronte Street South.

The second shooting took place near an autobody shop. Police said one person was pronounced deceased at the scene and two others had been transported to hospital.

According to Halton police, the suspect in that shooting also fled in a black Jeep Cherokee with the same license plate.

At 4:33 p.m., Halton police initially tweeted: “Suspect has been located and is in police custody.”

The four involved police services — in Toronto, Mississauga, Halton and Hamilton — have release few details about the shootings, which prompted an emergency alert to cellphone across the GTA warning of an “active shooter.”

At 5:30 p.m., Peel Regional Police spokesperson Heather Cannon said a public safety alert was no longer in effect, saying: “There is no threat to public safety.”

A spokesperson for the Special Investigations Unit — Ontario’s police watchdog — confirmed they are involved in the investigation in connection to a shooting in Hamilton involving a Halton police officer.

“One person has been shot and pronounced deceased … in the Hamilton Cemetery and this is in relationship to the earlier shootings that have occurred in Peel Region and Halton Region,” Hamilton police Chief Frank Bergen said.

Bergen said no Hamilton police officers have been injured, but would not comment on whether any officers from other jurisdictions have been injured or killed. He also would not say if the person killed in the cemetery was armed.

The fatal “interaction” took place at the back of the cemetery near Highway 403, according to Bergen.

At the scene near the Tim Horton’s in Mississauga, uniformed and plainclothes officers in suits could be seen gathering in large numbers outside the restaurant, partially blocked from view by a Peel Police bus as red and blue sirens continued flashing.

A lot across the street was also taped off, but the purpose was not clear. A forensic van was also on scene.

With files from the Hamilton Spectator