Toronto‘s police chief says his force is moving in the right direction in its approach to fighting gun and gang violence, even as the number of shootings climbs year after year.
In his year-end news conference, Chief Mark Saunders says the Toronto Police Service has ramped up its efforts in investigating such violence, completing numerous widescale probes.
He says the solve rate for shootings has jumped from 13 per cent to roughly 30 per cent.
Police data suggests there were 428 shootings in the city this year as of Dec. 15, with 613 victims.
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This compares to 177 shootings five years ago with 242 victims.
Saunders says much of the spike can be attributed to the drug trade, with lethal opioids such as fentanyl being trafficked into the city at unprecedented levels.