‘Active shooter’: A minute-by-minute account of the GTA shooting rampage
They didn't stand a chance.
Sean Petrie left a trail of three deaths, multiple serious injuries and several terrorized witnesses in his wake as he drove from Mississauga to Milton to Hamilton where he was shot dead in an exchange of gunfire" with police.
Why the 40-year-old gunman went on his rampage through the GTA or shot a uniformed police officer at point-blank range remains unknown with few clues in his criminal past.
What follows is a minute-by-minute account of what we know so far about how the chaos, carnage and heartbreak unfolded on Sept. 12.
It is based on the record of official updates, Star interviews with officials, friends and family of victims, and the accounts of sources with knowledge of the investigation who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the case.
Active shooter - armed and dangerous'
Monday morning: Before heading off to teach a police motorcycle training exercise in Mississauga, Const. Andrew Hong, 48, drops in on a familiar spot: the Toronto Police Traffic Services building in Liberty Village. Hong - a veteran of the Winged Wheels motorcycle squad, who had his nickname Honger" emblazoned on his vehicle - sees some colleagues for the last time before hopping on his motorcycle to join other officers from Peel Region and York Region police.
Meanwhile, Shakeel Ashraf makes his way to MK Auto Repairs, one of two autobody shops he owns in Milton. The mechanic - a 38-year-old married father of two young girls, who immigrated from Pakistan 25 years ago - had recently expanded his business, with hopes to add a tow-truck division.
Ashraf's neighbour, Satwinder Singh, a 28-year-old international student from India with an MBA who had just finished his diploma in global business management at Conestoga College, also heads to the autobody shop, where the aspiring poet is working part-time while waiting on a post-graduate work permit.
Around 12 p.m. Dressed in black and wearing a neon yellow construction vest, Sean Petrie, 40, arrives at a Tim Hortons on Argentia Road. He is armed with a handgun. Although his motive remains a mystery, investigators believe he is waiting to see a police officer.
According to police, Petrie was estranged from his family and may have been living out of his car, a red Toyota Corolla he parks adjacent to the coffee shop.
2:15 p.m. Officers attending Hong's training take a break and head to various restaurants in the plaza by the training location. Hong enters the Tim Hortons - he'd offered to buy the others coffee.
Moments later, Petrie approaches Hong, who is in full uniform, and fatally shoots him from behind. The gunman immediately attempts to take Hong's firearm, but cannot get past the safety mechanisms on the officer's holster.
Patrons flee the Tim Hortons as the other officers run towards the gunshots. They find Hong dead. Soon after, reports of an officer's death begin circulating within the Toronto Police Service, and officers head to the scene.
Hong didn't stand a chance," one police source later says.
About 2:20 p.m. Petrie runs across Argentia Road into a Walmart parking lot. He shoots driver Graham Hall in the abdomen and steals his black Jeep Cherokee.
Petrie then drives off toward MK Auto Repairs.
Hall is rushed to Sunnybrook Hospital, where he undergoes surgery.
Around 2:40 p.m. Petrie arrives at MK Auto Repairs, where he had once worked for about 10 days.
According to friends and family of Ashraf, Petrie had been fired for unprofessional behaviour sometime in the spring and Petrie had dropped by the autobody shop to see Ashraf about two weeks before the shooting.
On this day, Ashraf is not there. According to his cousin, Ashraf had gone to get lunch for his employees -they work hard, and they deserve it," he would often say.
Singh, the Indian student, is recently back from lunch at home with his two cousins.
Petrie waits for Ashraf.
2:50 p.m. Petrie opens fire, killing Ashraf and severely wounding two employees, Singh and a 43-year-old man, who are both rushed to hospital.
2:51 p.m. A shop employee calls Ashraf's older brother, saying someone had shot Ashraf.
3:04 p.m. Peel police report the Mississauga shooting on Twitter, saying one person had been shot and taken to the hospital. The suspect is initially described as a white male with a beard and construction vest.
The tweet adds: L/S in dark colored vehicle partial *905*. - Culp armed /dangerous -call 911."
3:04 p.m. The stolen Jeep is spotted by Hamilton police on Highway 407 and Brant St. in Burlington - between Milton and Hamilton.
3:21 p.m. Peel police tweet an update, saying there are two shooting victims but only one has been taken to the hospital: It is imperative that if anyone sees the black Jeep Cherokee partial plate *905* call 911 immediately. Male is armed and dangerous."
3:25 p.m. Halton Police tweet about a street closure from Bronte Street South to King Street in Milton - the location of the autobody shop - due to a shooting investigation. Suspect fled the area in a black Jeep Cherokee. Suspect considered ARMED AND DANGEROUS. DO NOT APPROACH. CALL 911 if seen. Expect ongoing police presence. Please avoid area," the tweet says.
3:25 p.m. Peel Police tweet an update with the Jeep's full licence plate number: CLMZ 905.
4:05 p.m. Peel police correct the suspect description: He is a male black, thin build, bulk hair" wearing all black and a yellow construction vest, the tweet says.
4:14 p.m. Peel police release a security-camera image of the suspect in a tweet that has since been deleted.
4:25 p.m. An emergency alert for an active shooter is broadcast to cellphones across the region. The alert warns that Peel Regional Police are investigating an active shooter - armed and dangerous," who is in a stolen vehicle.
The alert does not provide a description of the vehicle, its license plate number, or its last known location. A link in the alert identifies the suspect incorrectly, as Shawn Petry, 30."
4:27 p.m. Arslan Hanif arrives home from work and - after getting the alert about an active shooter - tells his father to lock the door. Soon after, a cousin calls to say Ashraf is dead. Hanif goes straight to Ashraf's house, where shaken family members are beginning to gather.
4:30 p.m. Officers from Halton and Hamilton police confront Petrie at Mount Hamilton Cemetery on York Boulevard, near the off-ramp from Highway 403 into Hamilton. There is an exchange of gunfire and Petrie is fatally shot.
Petrie is handcuffed, an ambulance is called and officers began performing CPR.
Petrie dies at the scene.
4:33 p.m. Halton police tweet: Suspect has been located and is in police custody."
5:00 p.m. The Star reports that a Toronto police officer has been killed, citing sources.
5:25 p.m. Peel police spokesperson Heather Cannon tells reporters the emergency alert has been rescinded, as there is no further threat to public safety."
5:50 p.m. People, including police officers, arrive at the scene of the Tim Hortons shooting, leaving flowers near the yellow police tape.
It was a scene of tragedy - I don't really know a better word for it. It was just tragic," said Jon Reid, president of the Toronto Police Association, who had rushed to the scene while other directors of the police union mobilized to support affected officers.
6:05 p.m. The Special Investigations Unit (SIU) invokes its mandate in relation to a shooting involving a Halton Regional Police Service officer this afternoon on York Blvd in Hamilton."
The SIU later designates two officers from Halton and two officers from Hamilton as subject officers" - meaning they likely fired their guns. Seventeen other officers are considered witnesses.
6:30 p.m. Ontario Premier Doug Ford expresses his gratitude to law enforcement: Like all Ontarians, I'm horrified by today's senseless violence, including the killing of a Toronto police officer," he says.
6:36 p.m. Hamilton police chief Frank Bergen confirms that the suspect in the multi-city shooting spree is dead and that no Hamilton officers were injured.
7:30 p.m. The SIU confirms no other officers were hurt in Hamilton
8 p.m. In an emotional press conference, police chiefs from Toronto, Peel and Halton officially confirm that an officer has been killed. Interim Toronto police Chief James Ramer identifies the officer as 48-year-old Const. Andrew Hong, a 22-year veteran of the service and father of two teenage daughters. Ramer says he had spoken to Hong's family earlier that day.
This is devastating news for his family, and for all members of the Toronto Police Service and our entire policing community," he says, his voice trembling with emotion. We will lean on each other while we work to support Const. Hong's family, and each other, in our grief."
Peel Regional Police Chief Nishan Duraiappah describes Hong's killing as an ambush."
8:16 p.m. In a tweet, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau says his thoughts, and the thoughts of many others, are with all those who knew the police officer killed in the line of duty in Mississauga today."
8:43 p.m. Hong's body is taken from the scene to the morgue as part of an impromptu official procession of dozens of police cars, vans and motorcycles from several different services.
Officers lining the way salute the fallen officer. Among those guiding his body to the morgue are Hong's colleagues from the motorcycle unit, riding in pairs.
9:17 p.m. Hong's body arrives at the coroner's office, where an autopsy will be conducted.
Sometime that night: Police arrive at Singh's home and break the news to his cousins. They immediately contact the victim's father, who works in the Middle East, so he can make arrangements to come to Canada.
Meanwhile, Ashraf's family are allowed to visit the autobody shop so they can identify his body.
The days that followed
Tuesday: The correct name and age for Petrie is confirmed and details emerge about his long criminal history, including charges for robbery, drug trafficking, weapons possession and time in federal prison. None of it sheds light on his motive for killing an officer.
Meanwhile, tributes pour in for Hong, dubbed a gentle giant" by his colleagues. Hong's family shares a photo of him graduating from the Ontario Police College and a statement that describes him as magnetic" - a man of steel" on the outside but a teddy bear" on the inside.
Premier Doug Ford, Mayor John Tory and Chief James Ramer offer personal condolences to Hong's colleagues in the Traffic Services unit.
Meanwhile, Singh's father hires a lawyer to help get a visa to enter Canada. His son's condition is deteriorating and the hospital needs the father to decide whether to pull his son off life support.
A computer glitch causes delays with the father's visa application.
Wednesday: Shakeel Ashraf is laid to rest in a ceremony at a Mississauga mosque.
His sisters were crying, his wife kept on crying," said Hanif, who attended the funeral along with more than one hundred people including Ashraf's close-knit family and his cricket team friends. No father wants to bury their own child, especially the anchor of the family...and those kids are going to grow up without a father, they'll never know their father."
Thursday: Peel police hold a press conference to shed more light on the shootings - a rare event in a case where the SIU is also investigating.
Investigators reveal their belief that Petrie had been waiting at the Tim Hortons for a police officer.
Later, Toronto police announce the long-awaited appointment of Myron Demkiw as the new police chief.
This is an extremely difficult and sensitive period for our Members and their families," the police board said in a statement, which said the announcement was nonetheless being made to share a matter of significant organizational and public interest."
Toronto police also release details for Hong's funeral, including a memorial procession.
Meanwhile, Singh's father contacts his son's MP to fast-track his visa processing. He arrives alone in Toronto on Saturday.
Saturday: Halton Regional Police report Satwinder Singh has died at Hamilton General Hospital. The international student passed away peacefully," police said in a news release, with his family and friends by his side."
The student just came here to study and have a better future, but then became a victim of a shooting. He's a hard worker and his life shouldn't end like this," said a spokesperson for the family, which has launched a GoFundMe campaign to raise money for his funeral and send the body home in India.
He wanted to have his sister here. He wanted to have his mom see Canada for the first time. He wanted his grandparents to be here to have a better life here," she said. He chose to come to Canada for better studies and better job opportunities, and also because it's a safe country. And he lost his life here. This is so unfair."
Singh marks the third death in Petrie's rampage, and the second from the Milton shooting.
This is heartbreaking news for our community which hasn't even begun to heal from Monday's traumatic events," said Halton police chief Stephen Tanner in the release. I urge everyone to reach out and ask for help if they need it."
Wendy Gillis is a Toronto-based reporter covering crime and policing for the Star. Reach her by email at wgillis@thestar.ca or follow her on Twitter: @wendygillis
Ghada Alsharif is a Toronto-based staff reporter for the Star. Reach Ghada via email: galsharif@torstar.ca
Ben Cohen is a Toronto-based staff reporter for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @bcohenn
Robert Cribb is a Toronto-based investigative reporter for the Star. Reach him via email: rcribb@thestar.ca
Clarrie Feinstein is a Toronto-based staff reporter for the Star. Reach Clarrie via email: clarriefeinstein@torstar.ca
Alyshah Hasham is a Toronto-based reporter covering crime and court for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @alysanmati
Noor Javed is a Toronto-based reporter for the Star covering city news with interest in 905 municipal politics. Follow her on Twitter: @njaved
Kevin Jiang is a Toronto-based digital producer for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @crudelykevin
Nicholas Keung is a Toronto-based reporter covering immigration for the Star. Follow him on Twitter: @nkeung
Jason Miller is a Toronto-based reporter for the Star covering crime and justice in the Peel Region. Reach him on email: jasonmiller@thestar.ca or follow him on Twitter: @millermotionpic
Jennifer Pagliaro is a Toronto-based crime reporter for the Star. Follow her on Twitter: @jpags
Jim Rankin is a Star reporter based in Toronto. Follow him on Twitter: @Jleerankin