Student, 15, in critical condition after shooting outside Toronto high school

A student was rushed to hospital in critical condition Thursday after a shooting outside a northwest Toronto high school, police and the school board say.

Toronto police investigators say the victim was found at Weston Collegiate Institute near Pine Street and MacDonald Avenue just after noon. Ryan Bird, spokesperson for the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), said the victim was a 15-year-old student who was in Grade 10 at the school.

Speaking to reporters outside the school, Insp. Ryan Forde said "unknown males" drove into the school's parking lot and shot the victim in the upper chest area.

"After he was shot, he ran back into the school … where he was tended to by teachers and faculty at the school," Forde said.

Emergency services were called in, and the victim was rushed to hospital in critical condition. Forde said his injuries appeared to be life-threatening. No one else was injured.

The suspects took off in an unknown direction, Forde said. Police do not yet have any suspect or vehicle descriptions. It is unclear if the victim knew his attackers, he said.

"I cannot confirm or deny that this was a targeted shooting at this time," Forde said.

Investigators are asking anyone with security camera video from the area to contact police or Crime Stoppers.

"Obviously we are thinking of the student who was injured today," Bird said. The TDSB previously said on Twitter that the victim's parent had been notified.

"Some of our staff immediately jumped in and, quite frankly, were tending to the student who was very clearly injured and tried to keep him as comfortable as possible until paramedics could arrive," Bird said.

Earlier in the day, the school board had said the school was in lockdown. Bird said Thursday afternoon that lockdown was slowly being lifted, with students being sent to area elementary schools for the remainder of the day.

"We are making sure that supports are now coming in to speak with students if they need support," he said.

Friday is a professional activity day for the Toronto District School Board so students at the school will not be in class.

'Run, don't look back'

Student Leyah Brissett said she was outside with friends when the lunchtime shooting occurred and her immediate reaction was to "run, don't look back."

"There was a big boom and a lot of people were screaming," said the 14-year-old, who added the.the shooting make her fear for her safety.

"It was loud."

"People were crying, running to the bus stops ... Really and truly, nobody knew where it came from," she said.

Jennifer and Wayne Bonner told CBC News they rushed to the school Thursday afternoon to make sure their kids were OK.

"As a stepmother and father we're scared to death. We're worried. We just want them out to see if they're OK," Jennifer Bonner said, through tears.

"[We] just want them to come home and be safe."

Shooting victim found at Weston Collegiate Institute near Pine Street and MacDonald Avenue