By Jerry Zhang
A man was shot near Toronto Metropolitan University’s (TMU) campus early on Feb. 4, prompting concerns throughout the university about the safety of students and community members.
According to an emailed statement from the Toronto Police Service (TPS), officers responded to a shooting near Victoria Street and Dundas Street East at approximately 8 a.m.
The victim and suspect both fled the scene but the victim was later located by law enforcement at a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Police have not released any information about the suspect and an investigation remains ongoing.
A Reddit user and self-proclaimed TMU student posted on the university’s subreddit—r/TorontoMetU—claiming to have witnessed the incident.
“So pissed about how unsafe campus is and seemingly nothing is being done about it,” the post reads. The user recounted witnessing a fight between two people at 8 a.m. when one pulled out a gun and shot the other, 15 feet away from them.
The student also criticized inaccurate reporting of the incident by media outlets that stated the shooting took place at 10 a.m., saying they had been late for their morning class because they were giving a statement to the police.
TMU Security was informed of the incident by TPS as part of their investigation. In an emailed statement, Saeed Zolfaghari, TMU’s Vice-President of Administration and Operations, said that the university was not aware of any community member being directly involved in the incident.
“The TMU campus is located in one of the busiest intersections in the country, and thousands of people visit the neighbourhood every day,” Zolfaghari said. “The safety of our community remains a top priority for the university, and we recognize that safety on our campus is a pressing concern.”
The university has not announced any immediate security change but emphasized that community safety and security teams work proactively with various city agencies and social services to address safety issues.
“We want to be clear that at this time the university has not been advised of a risk to TMU community members as a result of this incident,” said Zolfaghari.
Zolfaghari stated that TMU security provides 24/7 campus coverage and maintains partnerships with organizations such as Toronto Public Health and other shelter programs.
He emphasized that students who feel affected by the incident have been encouraged to reach out to TMU’s various resource centres. ”Students concerned about their wellbeing are encouraged to speak to the Office of Student Care,” he wrote.
TPS are asking anyone with additional information about the shooting to come forward.
