Three adults, including suspected shooter, died in office near Toronto daycare

TORONTO — A man and a woman were shot and killed and a man suspected of being the attacker also died Monday at a north Toronto office near a daycare and a school, authorities said.

The shooting caused the daycare and Catholic elementary school for boys to close, and parents rushed to the scene to pick up their children.

Detective Sgt. Al Bartlett said the slain man and woman worked together in what he described as a financial dealing business.

“We believe at this point that the altercation that took place is related to this business,” Bartlett said.

“The person we believe responsible is among those who died,” he added.

He hid the identities of the victims and the shooter, saying authorities needed to notify their families first.

Bartlett declined to say whether the suspect committed suicide or died in another way, saying it was still under investigation.

Bartlett said no children were injured. He indicated that there was no access to the interior of the building between the daycare and the business.

Shahrokh Biniaz, a graphic designer and photographer who has a studio in the building where the shooting took place, said he heard the sound of charging and arguing in the reception area.

“I didn’t know what it was, I thought maybe it was a circuit breaker or something because it was so loud,” he said.

“I came out of my office and I heard arguing at the reception…I went back to my desk and sat down, and I heard the second bang after two minutes.”

He said he walked out of his office again, heard more arguing, and then left the building through a back door.

“I called 911. The police arrived pretty quickly,” he said, adding that he then heard another round of gunshots.

Relieved parents were seen hugging their children after they were reunited right in front of police tape at St. George Mini School.

A supervisor told the crowd of gathered parents that everyone inside was safe.