Increased Gun Violence in Toronto Clubs

Source: Toronto Star

Published: 3/6/2000 Author: Vanessa Thomas

Gun call leads to standoff at downtown club

By Vanessa Thomas

Toronto Star Staff Reporter

Four men armed with handguns barged their way into a Toronto dance nightclub early this morning, a few blocks away from an underground rave club where a man was shot to death and three others were injured just two days ago.

A three-hour standoff with police ended without incident, but also without any arrests.

The men, armed with a 9-millimetre handgun, forced their way into the Space nightclub at 488 Yonge St. near Grenville St., to the astonishment of about a hundred patrons inside, said Sergeant Joe Gataveckas.

”They were packing at least one gun and they just pushed their way in past the bouncers who usually check people for weapons before they go in,” said Gataveckas.

Police responded to the gun call at 3:30 a.m. Dozens of uniformed officers and detectives from 52, 14 and 51 divisions surrounded the area. The Emergency Task Force was also on hand.

Police blockaded the area in a standoff for about three hours, while traffic was blocked off on Yonge St. from Grenville to Grosvenor and Alexander Sts. A command post was set up at the fire hall on Gosvenor St., just west of Yonge St., to organize the control effort.

Minutes into the standoff, a few patrons at a time began trickling out of the club’s back and front doors, said Sergeant Dan Pearson at 52 Division.

Most of the patrons were cleared from the building by 6:30 a.m.

The ETF then searched the building for guns, but none was recovered and no suspects have been arrested. Police believe the suspects may have slipped out with the patrons unnoticed.

The incident is the latest in a string of shootings and gun incidents that have renewed calls from the Yonge-Wellesley community to crackdown on nightclubs in the area.

On Saturday, Andrew Robotham, 32, died after he was shot in the head in front of The Spin Cat nightclub on Isabella St. at Yonge St. Two men fired several shots outside when they were asked to leave.

The Spin Cat nightclub is only half a block from The Web dance club on Yonge St., where part-time bouncer Christopher Palmer, 25, was killed in a drug-related shooting on Valentine’s Day.

”We’re definitely having increased problems with clubs in this area,” said Sergeant Dan Pearson at 52 Division.

Don’t these guys know handguns are illegal in Toronto? What are they going to do, really really ban guns this time.

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