A Brampton man has been charged following a shooting incident at a Jewish-owned restaurant in North York, as announced by Toronto Police Chief Myron Demkiw on Wednesday. The incident occurred early on Friday morning at the Old Avenue Restaurant, located in the vicinity of Avenue Road and Brooke Avenue, around 1:28 a.m.
Upon arrival at the scene, police officers discovered evidence of gunfire and damage to the restaurant; fortunately, no injuries were reported in connection with the incident. A suspect was reportedly seen fleeing the area in a dark-colored SUV.
According to Chief Demkiw, undercover officers who were part of an "enhanced deployment" in the area—predominantly Jewish—were able to track the suspect's vehicle and obtain a crucial license plate after observing the fleeing vehicle. This deployment was initiated in response to a series of shootings that had targeted synagogues and Jewish-owned businesses in the area.
"Covert assets saw the suspect fleeing and gathered critical info that led to the arrest," Demkiw explained. The suspect, identified as 30-year-old Mohamed Mahdi, was arrested after a search warrant was executed on Sunday, April 5, in the Boviard Drive East and Torbram Road area of Brampton.
Mahdi now faces several charges, including discharging a restricted or prohibited firearm, possession of a loaded prohibited or restricted firearm, unauthorized possession of a firearm, and unauthorized possession of a firearm in a motor vehicle.
Chief Demkiw highlighted that the rapid arrest should serve as a deterrent to anyone contemplating similar acts. "Today we send a clear message to whoever else is thinking of targeting our communities, we will do whatever we can to stop you and hold you accountable," he stated. Superintendent Ryan Forde added that investigators are actively searching for connections to other similar incidents to determine whether Mahdi acted alone or with accomplices.
Despite the recent spate of shootings targeting Jewish synagogues and businesses, Chief Superintendent Katherine Stephenson noted that the motive behind the Friday shooting remains under investigation. "At this point we are reviewing all available evidence," she said. "It’s not lost on us that there have been a number of shootings in a short period of time that have been targeting synagogues and Jewish-owned businesses, so we are looking at this investigation from all angles."
Stephenson emphasized that it is too early to draw definitive conclusions or establish connections between this incident and other recent shootings. The investigation continues as authorities work to uncover any potential links while ensuring the safety of the community.
