An East York school was placed on lockdown Thursday afternoon after a gun was discharged during a fight in a bathroom, police said.
The incident happened at East York Alternative Middle School near Cosburn and Coxwell avenues just after 1 p.m.
Police say up to six people were involved in the fight but fled before officers arrived.
A school aide intervened in the altercation and police said the bullet fired from the gun actually ricocheted off the wall and lodged in their shoe, causing them some bruises.
They were taken to hospital as a precaution, although police described their injuries as “very, very minor”.
“We’re very fortunate that no one was seriously injured in this incident, but having said that, any time something like this happens, it’s very concerning for the police, it’s very concerning for the Toronto District School Board and the students.” Inspector on duty. Jason Albanese told reporters at the scene. “Just because someone was miraculously spared further harm in this doesn’t make it any less troubling to us.”
Albanese said police believe they know the identities of the individuals involved in the altercation, but are still “trying to figure out what their respective roles were.”
He said at least some of the persons of interest are believed to be students at the school.
The gun used in the shooting, meanwhile, was not immediately located, but later Thursday afternoon CP24 cameras were able to capture police retrieving what appeared to be a gun outside the school.
What appears to be a firearm is displayed outside the East York Alternative School after a reported shooting Thursday. The police removed the object from the scene.
Speaking to CP24 at the scene, TDSB spokesman Ryan Byrd said it took “some time” to determine there had been a shooting because there were no visible shell casings or “obvious injuries.”
He said by the time it became known, the suspects had already left the school and fled east on Cosburn Avenue.
“Absolutely something like this should never happen, but we are so grateful that no one was injured,” he said.
Byrd said about 130 students attend East York Alternative Middle School, but only approximately 60 of them attended Thursday.
He said members of the TDSB’s professional assistance team will be available at the school on Friday.
The shooting is just the latest incident of school violence in Toronto in recent months.
On Halloween, 18-year-old Jefferson Peter Chardelli Guerrier was shot and killed outside Woburn Collegiate Institute in Scarborough as school let out for the day. Another 15-year-old boy was injured in the incident.
A Year 12 student was also seriously injured after he was stabbed at Birchmount Park Collegiate Institute in Scarborough in November.
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