York Regional Police release an image of the suspect in Wednesday’s cafe shooting, June 25, 2015.
The suspect in a deadly shooting at a Woodbridge, Ont., café Wednesday morning entered the establishment "with a purpose" before opening fire in an act that was not random, police say.
York Regional Police released surveillance photos of a man, approximately 5-foot-11, wearing a grey hoodie and a mask covering his face. In another photo, a dark compact car the suspect was driving can be seen.
Shots were fired at Moka, an espresso and gelato bar on Islington Avenue near Highway 7, shortly after 8 a.m. Maria Voci, 47, and 24-year-old Christopher De Simone, both of Vaughan, were pronounced dead at the scene. Two other men were taken to hospital where one remains in critical condition while the other is expected to survive, said Constable Andy Pattenden of York Regional Police.
According to the CBC and The Toronto Star, one of the injured victims is Rocco Di Paola, a Toronto mayoral candidate in last year's municipal elections.
"Our investigators have obviously viewed the video and they can see from the actions of the suspect that he pulled up and deliberately went right for that café. It wasn't that [he was] just sort of walking around and happened upon the café and things happened," Constable Pattenden said.
He said police are not revealing what the man's "purpose" may have been, as that is still under investigation. Constable Pattenden also refused to say whether the victims themselves were the shooter's targets.
Several residents in the area around Moka expressed to reporters concerns that the café seemed to be a suspicious place. Constable Pattenden said police have heard similar concerns and are looking into the café's history.
Arturo Troian, who lives around the corner, said Moka often hosted patrons with fancy cars and gold chains, which he found questionable.
"I'm living here for 38 years and it never happened before, anything, before [Moka] opened," he said.
The owners of the strip mall that houses the café and other shops are listed as Mirella and Marcello Miceli. The café was registered by Mario Barrila on March 18, 2015, according to registration documents. Attempts to contact Mr. Barrila as well as Ms. and Mr. Miceli were unsuccessful.
Thursday morning, police canvassed the neighbourhood, asking the public about both the compact car and a pickup truck that's a "vehicle of interest."
They are asking the public to view the surveillance photos and contact police with any relevant information.
Carmelo Messina, Mr. De Simone's former employer at Da Vinci Banquet Hall, said the victim was a "great guy" and was married there in 2013.
"He was ready to help anybody. It must have been one of those wrong-place-at-the-wrong-time things," Mr. Messina said. "I wouldn't be surprised if he was trying to help someone in danger and paid with his own life."
Raghed Salti, a neighbour of Ms. Voci, said he grew up with her three sons, and would often play street hockey with them. Though he didn't know Ms. Voci very well, he said the family was always warm to him.
"She seemed like a nice lady … they're really a nice family. I grew up with them," Mr. Salti said.