Etobicoke man 'so scared' after bullets rip through his home, smashing balcony door
An Etobicoke man says he and his mother feel unsafe after two bullets ripped through their home early Wednesday morning, smashing their glass balcony door and leaving holes in their living room.
"This is not good," Aqeel Haider told CBC Toronto Wednesday. "I'm not feeling safe in my home."
It happened around 2 a.m. Wednesday at their apartment at 58 Waterton Rd. just minutes after Haider had been out for a smoke on his balcony.
He says he heard gunshots, and quickly went to check his bedroom window, but didn't find anything.
The next morning he checked his apartment more thoroughly and discovered that two bullets had ripped through his balcony door, leaving holes in living room wall.
More than a dozen shell casings found
According to Toronto police Const. Victor Kwong, the incident was reported around 9 a.m. Wednesday and there are currently no known victims.
Kwong says officers canvassed the scene and found multiple shell casings outside Haider's apartment building.
Haider says he was told by police that 14 casings were discovered on the street outside.
Kwong says police will be looking for surveillance footage in the area, but that there is currently no information on suspects at this point in the investigation.
This comes as the city grapples with ongoing gun violence — a major problem in Toronto.
'I'm feeling bad'
Haider, 41, a driver for Uber, says he takes care of his 75-year-old mother.
He says they relocated to the area near Scarlett Road and Lawrence Avenue west just two months ago.
The pair moved after 10 years on a government wait list, as their building is owned and operated by Toronto Community Housing.
That's why, despite his fear, Haider says he doesn't want to move out — he knows there's a lineup for his unit, and he and his mom might not find another one.
"It's not easy to move out somewhere else," Haider said.
Haider says this is his first time hearing gunshots, let alone having them damage his home.
Now, he says, with the help of safety shoes and gloves, he will have to start the process of cleaning and repairing his unit.
"I am so scared," Haider said. "I'm feeling bad, and my mom too."
