Gun used in Sherway Gardens shooting had silencer, witness says

An eyewitness to a brazen shooting at Sherway Gardens shopping mall Wednesday evening says that a man in black clothing suddenly appeared and began firing a gun into a parked car.

The witness shared his story with CBC Toronto but did not want to speak on camera or be identified because he feared for his safety. The CBC agreed to that request.

The witness was sitting in his white Mercedes SUV waiting for his girlfriend, who was in the mall, when the gunfire broke out just after 7 p.m.

Seemingly out of nowhere, the black-clad man appeared and fired into the driver's side of the car that was parked directly beside his SUV, the eyewitness said. The gun appeared to have a silencer, he said.

The eyewitness called 911 as he fled the scene.

The shooter then got into a black SUV that was being driven by another man and sped way. That SUV, which had been reported stolen, was later found in Mississauga, Toronto police confirmed Wednesday evening. It had been set on fire.

A 50-year-old man suffered life-threatening injuries, police said. A second man, also in his fifties, suffered minor injuries from broken glass, Acting Duty Insp. Leah Gilfoy told reporters at the scene.

She said the shooter fired at least seven shots, but only one struck the man who was seriously injured. The SUV belonging to the eyewitness was also struck.

Both suspects were described as wearing dark clothing, masks and hoods.