Mass Casualty IncidentsVersion 2

Two killed in shooting at Toronto's Salsa on St. Clair festival

Toronto police identified those killed as Shaquan Quashie, 25, and Cesar Vernaza, 20; Chief Myron Demkiw said the July 11 shooting was targeted.

2 reports on this incident · first at Aug 15, 2026, 6:08 p.m. ET

By AI ReporterFirst reported Jul 11, 2026, 8:52 p.m. ETUpdated Aug 17, 2026, 7:57 p.m. ET

people were killed in a shooting at the in , on Saturday, July 11, 2026. police released the names of the who died as Shaquan Quashie, 25, and Cesar Vernaza, 20. The Police Service responded. No confirmed count of the wounded is available for this account; statements by officials, quoted below, referred to others having been injured. The incident is no longer active. On the timing, Police said they responded to reports of active gunfire at 781 St. Clair Ave. West at 8:12 p.m., and police said they got the call for reports of an active shooter near St. Clair Avenue West and Arlington Avenue at 8:12 p.m. Deputy Chief Frank Barredo of the Police Service said the shooting was reported at around 8:12 p.m. A Police Service statement on X said violence erupted just after 8 p.m. The National Post said the shootings caused chaos at the festival at around 8 p.m. Reports described a burst of gunfire just west of the festival grounds, near St. Clair Avenue West and Arlington Avenue, at around 8:10 p.m. on (July 11). A DW article, not attributed to a named source, placed the shooting in the early evening. Police said they received reports of an active shooter shortly after 8 p.m. and cordoned off the area, and that they secured the scene roughly an hour after the shooting began. At a news conference at about 11 p.m., police said they no longer believed there was an active shooter at the festival. Chief Myron Demkiw of the Police Service said, "It was a targeted event," and said police would say little more about the dead: "We're not going to discuss anything about the victims other than to acknowledge that the deceased knew each other." Barredo said, "This seemed to be an exchange of gunfire between individuals targeting each other," and, in another account of the same point, "There seemed to be an exchange of gunfire between individuals targeting each other." He said the gunfire "indiscriminately put vast numbers of people in danger." He said an initial fear of an active shooter proved wrong: "There was some concern about an active shooter. That turned out not to be the case." During the response he called it "a very fluid and active matter," and said, "You can just image the chaos, the fear." Premier Doug Ford said, "I am devastated by the senseless violence at the Salsa on St. Clair Festival that has claimed lives and injured others. My thoughts are with the victims, their families and everyone affected," and said, "The person responsible must be caught, brought to justice and spend the rest of their life behind bars." Mayor Olivia Chow called it "a reckless, despicable act of violence at a crowded festival," said she was "deeply disturbed and angry about this reckless, irresponsible act of violence, and right in the middle of a festival attended by children," and said, "I will ensure Police have every resource they need to find those responsible, and they will keep working around the clock to get guns off our streets." She also said, "We will not let reckless criminals stop 's tradition of outdoor street festivals." Deputy Mayor Mike Colle said, "These thugs must be caught." Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was "horrified by the shooting that has killed people at the Salsa on St. Clair Festival in ," and said, "My prayers are with the families grieving their loved ones … and everyone who has been affected by this horrific event." NDP Leader Marit Stiles said, "I am thinking of the lives lost and others who were injured and traumatized by the violence this evening." Federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said, "May the police find the monster responsible for this innocent loss of life." Demkiw set the shooting against the city's crime numbers: "Shootings are down in the city over 26 per cent compared to the same time last year. But when a brazen shooting occurs in a public setting, like happened this weekend, it understandably shakes the sense of safety and security that Torontonians expect and deserve. Street festivals are a vital part of 's vibrant culture."

Earlier reports

Aug 15, 2026, 6:08 p.m. ETFirst report
Two killed, four wounded in shooting at Toronto's Salsa on St. Clair street festival
Two people were killed and four injured in a shooting at the Salsa on St. Clair festival, near St. Clair Avenue West and Arlington Avenue, in Toronto, Ontario, on Saturday, July 11, 2026. The casualty figures were stated by the Toronto Police Service. Toronto police identified the two people killed as Shaquan Quashie, 25, and Cesar Vernaza, 20.
Accounts of the timing differ slightly. National Post placed the shootings that caused chaos at the Salsa on St. Clair street festival at around 8 p.m. on Saturday night. Reports place a burst of gunfire at around 8:10 p.m. on Saturday evening, July 11, just west of the festival grounds, near St. Clair Avenue West and Arlington Avenue. Police said they got the call at 8:12 p.m. for reports of an active shooter near St. Clair Avenue West and Arlington Avenue, and Toronto Police said they responded at 8:12 p.m. to reports of active gunfire at 781 St. Clair Ave. West. A DW article, not attributed to a named source, placed the shooting in the early evening near St. Clair Avenue West and Arlington Avenue during the festival.
At a news conference at about 11 p.m., Toronto Police said they no longer believed there was an active shooter at the Salsa on St. Clair festival. The incident is no longer active. The Toronto Police Service was the responding agency.
Chief Myron Demkiw of the Toronto Police Service said, "It was a targeted event," and added, "We're not going to discuss anything about the victims other than to acknowledge that the two deceased knew each other." Deputy Chief Frank Barredo said, "This is a very fluid and active matter," and said there had initially been "concern about an active shooter. That turned out not to be the case." Barredo said the shooting "indiscriminately put vast numbers of people in danger," and described the scene: "You can just image the chaos, the fear."
Demkiw also said: "Shootings are down in the city over 26 per cent compared to the same time last year. But when a brazen shooting occurs in a public setting, like happened this weekend, it understandably shakes the sense of safety and security that Torontonians expect and deserve. Street festivals are a vital part of Toronto's vibrant culture."
Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said she was "deeply disturbed and angry about this reckless, irresponsible act of violence, and right in the middle of a festival attended by children," and said, "We will not let reckless criminals stop Toronto's tradition of outdoor street festivals." Ontario Premier Doug Ford said, "I am devastated by the senseless violence at the Salsa on St. Clair Festival that has claimed two lives and injured others. My thoughts are with the victims, their families and everyone affected," and added, "The person responsible must be caught, brought to justice and spend the rest of their life behind bars." Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was "horrified by the shooting that has killed two people at the Salsa on St. Clair Festival in Toronto" and said, "My prayers are with the families grieving their loved ones." Ontario NDP Leader Marit Stiles said, "I am thinking of the two lives lost and others who were injured and traumatized by the violence this evening," and federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said, "May the police find the monster responsible for this innocent loss of life."
Several things are not established in the material this account is drawn from: the status of any suspect, a motive, the weapon used, and any instruction to the public from officials. No time is given for when the count of two killed and four injured was current, and no official description is given of how far the police cordon or investigation extended.

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Revision history

Version 217 Aug 2026, 23:57current
Added the conflicting injury counts with attribution, the festival's scale and cancellation of its remaining day, the official instruction to avoid the area, and the reported suspect status; condensed the statements.
Version 115 Aug 2026, 22:08current
First published.
Version 117 Aug 2026, 23:26
First published.

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