A 35-year-old barber who was shot dead Tuesday had a customer in his chair at the moment of the shooting, police said.
Chris Thompson, of Scarborough, was cutting hair as usual at the Cut Creator when a suspect approached the barber shop carrying a duffle bag, placed the duffle bag on the ground and removed a shot gun, that may have had its end sawn off, police said Wednesday. He then proceeded to enter the shop and fire multiple shots at Mr. Thompson before fleeing the scene on foot.
"There's no doubt this was a very cool, cold-blooded crime," Detective Sergeant Dan Neilson said at a news conference. "It's very clear from our investigation that Chris was specifically targeted in this incident. At this time we just don't know why."
The customer who was in Mr. Thompson's chair at the time of the murder left the scene before police arrived, Det. Sgt. Neilson said, and is one of at least two witnesses who were in the shop that police want to talk to.
Mr. Thompson, a barber of 16 years, was also a husband and a father to a 15-year-old son and an eight-year-old daughter. His family was not at the news conference, though they wanted to be, Det. Sgt. Neilson said.
"But, very obviously, they were just too distraught," he said. "I spoke to his 15-year-old son and he was just devastated yesterday."
Police are currently reviewing surveillance tape of the plaza near the Malvern Town Centre, although there is no surveillance available from inside the barber shop. They urge anyone who may have been in the area at the time to share information.
"Any information, even if it's thought to be insignificant, could assist this type of investigation," he said.
This is the third homicide in the Scarborough area this year, but police said they don't believe there is any connection between Mr. Thompson's shooting and earlier deaths.
Police are still seeking the gunman. They describe the suspect as male, with dark skin between 5-feet, 8-inches (172 cm) and 5-feet, 10-inches (177 cm) tall, with a slim to medium build. He was last seen wearing a dark jacket, a grey hooded sweatshirt and carrying a duffle bag.