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Police arrest 3 after shots fired at Toronto Raptors parade, 4 people injured

Toronto police said a shooting did occur and three people were taken into custody regarding the same. The police added that they were investigating. They said four people were injured, although it wasn't life-threatening and two firearms were recovered.

Update: 9.53 p.m. ET - Toronto police now say they have arrested three people in connection with the shootings that broke out less than a block away from the stage where the players and Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau sat. Four people suffered gunshot wounds and while none of them are life-threatening, the New York Times reported that two were in a serious condition.

“With all the resources that were here, the apprehensions were done incredibly quickly after the incident itself,” Chief Mark Saunders of the Toronto Police said. While two firearms were recovered, the chief did not reveal why a third person was detained. According to the Associated Press, invesigators did not discuss the motive.

Original story:

Gunshots were fired near the stage of the Toronto Raptors parade Monday. Celebrations came to a halt as clarity was sought about the situation according to Yahoo News. The site, Nathan Philips Square, was cleared and celebrations continued as planned.

After the situation at that site seemed stable, there were reports of a shooter at Eaton Centre mall nearby. Toronto police, in a tweet stated there was, in fact, a shooting and two people were taken into custody regarding the same. The police added that they were investigating. The tweet said two people were injured seriously, although it wasn't life-threatening and two firearms were recovered. 

Droves of jubilant Raptors fans packed downtown Toronto on Monday for a parade for the NBA champions, raising safety concerns as problems with overcrowding persisted. The parade route ends in a square outside City Hall, where police have begun to lift those seeking safety over barricades to help them escape the crush.

A child pulled over a barrier and onto a stretcher was among those evacuated. City officials have prevented any further entry into the square and have shut down several subway stations near the parade due to overcrowding.

Mayor John Tory previously urged every resident to come celebrate the Raptors' first championship and declared Monday "We The North Day" in Toronto, after the franchise's slogan.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was scheduled to attend, as was Ontario Premier Doug Ford. Rapper and Toronto native Drake, among the Raptors' best-known fans, was celebrating alongside the players on one of the parade buses.

Some 1.5 million fans withstood the conditions to attend the parade. Nicolas Caramanna, 21, said the crowd started to get rowdy shortly after he arrived at 9 a.m. "I'm really hot and tired, but I'm going to stick around," he said. "When else am I going to get a chance to do this?"

As the parade inched forward — discernibly behind schedule — a number of Raptors could not help but marvel at the fan response. "It's been amazing," star forward Kawhi Leonard said. "Thank you Toronto, thank you Canada for the support, we did it." Several fans were seen carrying signs imploring Leonard to re-sign with the Raptors. The two-time Finals MVP will be a free agent this summer.

Star guard Kyle Lowry, the team's longest-serving member, was seen hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy while his teammates smoked cigars. "This is unbelievable," he said.

With inputs from AP.