Toronto Pearson Airport Shooting: one dead, police storm building
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Toronto Pearson International Airport, Canada 's busiest travel hub, was under lockdown early morning on April 24 following a police-involved shooting at Terminal 1. According to Canadian media, at least one person died in the shooting incident with eyewitnesses claiming that a total six shots were fired.The Special Investigations Unit (SIU), Ontario's police watchdog, confirmed its involvement, dispatching detectives to the scene to unravel the circumstances surrounding the shooting incident.The unfolding situation triggered a significant emergency response, with several police vehicles descending upon the departure level of Terminal 1.Eyewitness accounts painted a picture of alarm and disruption, with travelers encountering closed roadways and a heavy police presence blanketing the airport grounds.Chris Rhind, a passenger retrieving his luggage, recounted hearing "loud, popping noises" echoing through the terminal building, the first indication of the unfolding crisis.Social media platforms became a conduit for real-time, albeit often unverified, information. X users on the ground shared fragmented details, with one user, Jacko, claiming a series of four shots were fired around 6:45 a.m., and one victim was presumed deceased at the scene.Toronto Paramedics Services acknowledged their active response to an incident at Pearson at approximately 7:00 a.m., but refrained from detailing the nature of the emergency.However, there has been no official statement from Peel Regional Police, the primary law enforcement agency for the airport.Eyewitness accounts on X painted a vivid picture of the escalating police presence. John Fowler's query about the "dozen police cars & rifles out?" was quickly amplified by others, including Andrew Collins, who reposted with the caption suggesting a shooting investigation by Peel Police at Terminal 1 Departures, with one person reportedly without vital signs and CPR in progress.Many confused passengers abandoned their rideshares in the airport's vicinity, only to be turned back by authorities.Preet Banerjee, another X user, described a scene of over 30 police vehicles at the terminal, later noting that authorities were allowing passengers to exit their cars and proceed on foot while vehicles remained held.A video posted by X user Courtney Heels offered a glimpse into the ground-level chaos, showing vehicles at a standstill outside Terminal 1, illuminated by the flashing lights of numerous police cruisers.Her caption noted a traveler's account of "dozens of cops pulled up with rifles," underscoring the heavily armed response.
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