Details emerge in fatal shooting at Toronto McDonald’s

Share

The security guard involved in a fatal shooting at a Toronto McDonald's early Saturday worked for Intercon Security, a company recently acquired by Montreal-based private security firm GardaWorld.

Joe Gavaghan, corporate communications director at GardaWorld, said in a statement Monday, that the company "is fully cooperating with law enforcement in the investigation of this incident. In respect for the families involved and the on-going investigation, we will not comment further."

Donny Ouimette, 25, and 39-year-old Ryan Hind died after a physical altercation with the armed security guard who had entered the restaurant on Danforth Avenue near Coxwell Avenue at about 3 a.m. to buy food while working nearby, Toronto Police said.

Police haven't laid any charges yet and have not identified the security guard involved. His own hand was also shot, Constable Victor Kwong said Monday. A statement from criminal lawyer Craig Penney said he was representing the guard and his client had been released from hospital after receiving treatment for the injury.

"He is appreciative of the way in which the police are dealing with the matter, and is thankful to his Company for supporting him," Mr. Penney said, adding the gun involved was "lawfully possessed."

Police continued investigating what led to the fight and released little information on Monday after identifying the two men killed.

As questions swirl around what exactly happened to escalate the situation and who was at fault, Mr. Ouimette was remembered Monday as a devoted father who loved taking his four-year-old son to the Beaches, Toronto Islands and sports games, according to a friend of the family.

"His world was his son," his family said in a statement released through Rebecca Dixon, who a friend of Mr. Ouimette's cousins. "Just spending time with him made his day."

Ms. Dixon, a University of Toronto pharmacy student, launched a campaign on the website FundRazr to pay for Mr. Ouimette's funeral. Any leftover money will go toward a fund for son. Since its launch Saturday night, the fundraiser had brought in just over $500 from 10 donors as of Monday night.

"Everyone, no matter what the circumstances are, has a family, has friends and relatives who care and are hurt by this and could use the support," Ms. Dixon said. "He has such a young son, I can only imagine how hard that will be."

Ms. Dixon said Mr. Ouimette's family was grateful for the campaign, which aims to reach $10,000.

She said she wanted to try supporting them through crowdfunding because she'd noted how effective such campaigns have been recently. A Toronto man raised more than $173,000 to cover funeral costs for Elijah Marsh, the toddler who died in February after wandering outside his grandmother's home in frigid temperatures. After a Montreal judge wouldn't hear Rania El-Alloul's case because she wore a hijab, an online campaign raised more than $47,000 to help her buy a new car.