Vote: Do you still think Toronto is a safe city?
The deadly shooting spree in Toronto’s Greektown that left two victims dead comes just months after the city was devastated by a van attack that killed ten people.
The city has also been in international headlines lately with the ongoing murder case of billionaires Barry and Honey Sherman, as well as the arrest of alleged serial killer Bruce McArthur, who has been charged with the death of eight men, many of whom had ties to Toronto’s Gay Village.
The number of incidents of gun violence in Toronto this year has already surpassed all of 2017. This has left many wondering about the safety of the city — a place where violence is thought to be outside the norm.
“It’s almost inconceivable these kinds of things can happen,” said Toronto Mayor John Tory in the aftermath of the Danforth attack. “We were so used to living in a city where these things didn’t happen. And as we saw them going on in the world around us, we thought they didn’t happen here — couldn’t or shouldn’t.”
Despite the recent spate of violence, Toronto still remains a relatively safe place to live.
Earlier this month, CBC News spoke to Jooyoung Lee, an associate professor of sociology at the University of Toronto.
“For a city of its size, Toronto is one of the two or three safest cities in North America,” Lee told CBC News.
“I would never let anything like this to change my behaviour or that of my family,” Tasos Giaouridis, a Toronto resident told Yahoo Canada News while visiting the Danforth memorial site with his two children on Tuesday.
Bill Blair, the new federal minister of border security and organized crime reduction, says he is speaking with city leaders about how to tackle gun violence.
I just spoke to Chief Saunders and @TorontosMayor about the tragic events on the Toronto Danforth last night to discuss how we can support their efforts to end the violence. We stand united in our resolve to keep our streets safe.
— Bill Blair (@BillBlair) July 23, 2018
“It’s very unfortunate, but in this day and age, my mindset is it can happen anywhere, anytime,” Polly Horvay, an employee at BOGO Beauty Supply at the intersection of Chester Ave. and Danforth Ave. told Yahoo Canada News.
In light of the recent events in the city, we want to know: Do you still think Toronto is a safe city?
Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
