The attacks began around 2 p.m. Monday at a Tim Hortons restaurant in the city of Mississauga, west of Toronto. Constable Andrew Hong, a 48-year-old traffic officer, was on his lunch break from a joint exercise when he was shot and killed at close range by the gunman. Another person was shot and left with “life-changing” injuries. The suspect then fled in a black Jeep, leading police on a chase that spanned three communities. An emergency alert was sent to residents, warning of an “active shooter, armed and dangerous.” Later in the afternoon, another shooting was reported in the town of Milton. Shakeel Ashraf, owner of an auto repair shop in Milton where the suspect was an employee, was killed and two others were injured. Police eventually located the suspect at a cemetery in the city of Hamilton, where he was killed after a fight. Hong, a 22-year veteran of the Toronto police force, is survived by his wife, two children and his parents. “This is devastating news for his family and for all members of the Toronto Police Service and our entire police community. We will lean on each other as we work to support Constable Hong’s family and each other in our grief,” said Interim Toronto Police Chief James Ramer. A procession of police vehicles, including SUVs and motorcycles, escorted Hong’s body from the scene of the shooting. A line of officers hailed the vehicles as they passed. “May Constable Andrew Hong rest in peace. A husband, father and hero, he and his loved ones are in my prayers,” Ontario Premier Doug Ford tweeted. Toronto Mayor John Tory, who called Hong a “gentle giant,” ordered flags at Toronto’s city hall, downtown and other locations in the city to be flown at half-staff. “[Hong] he was someone who meant a lot [other officers]said Tori. “This is one of those things that just breaks your heart.” The province’s police watchdog, the Special Investigations Unit, says it is investigating the fatal shooting at the cemetery. “There’s a lot to go through at the cemetery,” SIU spokeswoman Kristy Denette told reporters. “It is unclear which firearm led to the death of the suspect… [and it is] It is unclear if the person was armed and shots were exchanged.”
