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Outrage blended with grief yesterday as homicide detectives probed a wild shootout in Toronto's East Chinatown that killed a "dearly loved" 47-year-old bystander — the second innocent man felled by gunfire in less than a week.

As police scoured a taped-off block of Gerrard Street for clues, and sought two men seen fleeing in a car, a funeral was under way in Scarborough for the first such victim, and a chorus of civic leaders urged swift action to curb the city's tide of gun violence.

"I think it's time for every member of Parliament in this country to act," a visibly angry Mayor David Miller told a lunchtime news conference yesterday.

"Handguns kill people. They kill people who aren't involved, they're used to kill family members."

Mao Hou Chang, a father of two who had recently brought his 18-year-old daughter to Canada from his native China, was slain Thursday evening as he stacked oranges outside the Fu Yao Supermarket on Gerrard Street, in a crowded but low-crime neighbourhood.

Police were seeking two black men believed to have been the intended targets of the gunplay, which saw shoppers duck for cover as bullets peppered store windows and parked cars and left behind shell casings from two different weapons.

Described as about six feet tall, the pair fled the scene of the shooting in a small silver car that had a shiny front grille. A pedestrian was also seen running away.

There was no description of the shooter or shooters but Toronto police Detective Sergeant Pauline Gray of the homicide squad voiced confidence that closed-circuit television images would yield crucial clues. She urged the suspects to turn themselves in.

"We've got you on camera, somehow, somewhere, we'll find you on camera," she said, entreating anyone who saw anything to contact police.

"Whatever the perceived slight or disagreement between these two groups, they cannot justify or walk away from the fact that their reckless actions killed an innocent man."

Echoing police, Mr. Miller described Mr. Mao as a hardworking man who was "highly regarded in the neighbourhood." And the mayor renewed his call for an outright ban on handguns in Canada. (Late yesterday, Mr. Miller and Canadian ambassador to the United States Michael Wilson met here to discuss the gun issue. Don Wanagas, a spokesman for the mayor, described the meeting as "good and fruitful" but declined to offer more details.)

The mayor offered condolences to the Mao family and asked city residents to "go over to Gerrard Street in East Chinatown, go have dinner and do a little shopping. That is the way to show you support them at this tragic time … we are not going to allow fear to take over our streets."

As Mr. Miller spoke, the funeral was under way for another innocent bystander — 42-year-old John O'Keefe, shot early last Saturday as he walked past a Yonge Street strip club after an evening spent in a pub with friends. Two men were subsequently charged with first-degree murder.

Toronto's third homicide this year, Mr. Mao's death was also evocative of a still more notorious killing — that of 15-year Jane Creba, fatally shot in two gangs' crossfire as she shopped with her family on Yonge Street on Boxing Day in 2005.

Such homicides remain rare: Of the 82 in Toronto last year, just three victims were considered uninvolved bystanders.

Mr. Mao's death nonetheless stirred a fierce outcry.

Toronto Police Services Board chairman Alok Mukherjee called it "extremely disturbing," but said he has full confidence in police Chief Bill Blair, who called Mr. Mao's death "disgraceful."

Mr. Mukherjee joined the mayor in demanding a ban on handguns and described as "very frustrating" the federal government's resistance to legislation that either would ban them or stiffen penalties for those who use them to commit crimes.

Jack Layton, New Democratic Party Leader and MP for the Toronto-Danforth riding where Mr. Mao was killed, said much the same, noting this is the third such killing to hit home.

"Jane Creba lived in my riding, attended Riverdale Collegiate, and John O'Keefe was a volunteer with our campaign," he said.

"This rampage on innocent bystanders is so horrible and so wrong. We renew our call for the Harper government to get serious about guns coming across the border from the United States. It is time for senior ministers to be speaking with American federal officials and leaders from border states about this."

As local merchants called for stepped-up police foot patrols, Toronto-Danforth Councillor Paula Fletcher toured the neighbourhood with Mr. Miller. She too demanded action from Ottawa.

"Something is wrong here," Ms. Fletcher said.

"People are worried but they generally know it's a very safe community. But what makes any community in Toronto vulnerable is the proliferation of handguns in the city. The Prime Minister and others can no longer turn a blind eye."

Police said they did not know what sparked Thursday's gun battle, but that there was nothing to suggest it stemmed from any local organized crime activity.

"This is a very rare occurrence," said Inspector Peter Yuen of 55 Division.