TORONTO — A Canadian newspaper has identified two of the three victims who were killed by a gunman on Sunday in a shooting spree outside an area bar and restaurant.
On Monday, a news release from the Toronto Sun identified the two victims as Amanda Zotigh, a 27-year-old brand manager at a department store, and an 18-year-old woman, Rizwan Jaffar.
Zotigh was a mother of one and was seven months pregnant with her second child, the newspaper reported. She leaves behind her husband and four-year-old daughter.
“Our hearts are broken. We are heartbroken for Amanda and her daughter and we are forever grateful for her bright smile and joyful spirit,”
Torontonians, who have gathered near the crime scene to pay tribute to the victims, said they’re grieving because of Zotigh.
“She is an amazing individual, we were all like family to her. She was an awesome mother, a fun personality, always smiling,” one woman told the newspaper.
The Sun also identified the third victim of the shooting as Amir Mizroch, a 22-year-old refugee from Iran.
Mizroch was at the Croatian flag-themed restaurant about 2:30 a.m. Sunday when a man stormed in, opened fire and killed Jaffar, 18, and took on a hostage who killed herself. Authorities said that there was no connection between the victims.
Authorities believe the suspect left the restaurant and shot at two people nearby before killing himself. At least nine others were injured in the shooting.
Toronto police said on Sunday afternoon that the attack is being treated as a potential terrorism-related incident.
Police said the shooter was wearing all black and carrying a bag and had a handgun when he stormed the restaurant. They didn’t say how many shots were fired.
Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders has vowed to thoroughly investigate the attack as well as an earlier shooting at an outdoor Christmas market on Dec. 1 that killed two people and wounded 16. Police said one woman was killed in that attack but they released no further details.
A YouCaring crowdfunding site was set up to help support the family of the woman killed in the Christmas market attack.
Law enforcement officials are working to identify the gunman, who also injured nine people.
Homicide detectives and the Toronto Police Service’s major crime unit, along with intelligence officers, are all investigating the shooting, Saunders said.
Officials are trying to identify the gunman, who authorities said was wearing all black.
Speaking at a news conference, Saunders said he is calling the Toronto shooting a “terror-related incident” but noted the investigation is in its early stages.
He said there is no indication that there is further danger to the public. The attack occurred near the site of the Eaton Centre mall, which was closed on Monday due to the shooting.
Zotigh’s family lives in Thousand Oaks, California, according to the Sun. Her sister, Ariel Atwa, posted on Facebook: “The reason why I am posting this is because I want the world to know how strong my sister really was,” he wrote. “She wasn’t just a beautiful person to look at or wear makeup. She was a funny and smart woman with the biggest heart.”
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