'Utter disbelief and shock': Milton man pronounced dead in GTA shooting rampage identified

A business owner.

An awesome cricket player.

A devoted father.

These are some of the descriptions being attached to a Milton man shot and killed Monday (Sept. 12) during a shooting spree that spanned different municipalities, including Halton.

Shakeel Ashraf, a married father of three and owner of MK Auto Repairs, was killed at his workplace Monday afternoon by a gunman who also wounded two other people during the Milton incident.

"He was so lighthearted and personable," recalled Ibrahim Hindy on Facebook. "What a terrible tragedy."

Arsalan Ahmad Khan said Ashraf was a member of the MSA Qalanders cricket team of the Event Ontario Softball Cricket League, the organization confirmed:

"Let's come together Miltonians for this very well respected (brother and friend) who left us this afternoon after a very sad and ruthless attack," Anaya Wafa said on Facebook.

Many who knew Ashraf said he was well-known and respected in Milton's South Asian community.

"He had a reputation of being hardworking, friendly and compassionate to his clients and fellow Miltonians," said good friend Hammad Jawaid. "He regularly participated in and sponsored local community events, contributed in causes and will be missed by many in the South Asian community. His loss has left local community in utter disbelief and shock and well wishers have been constantly visiting his family house to pay their respects."

Prior to that shooting, in the area of a Tim Hortons in the area of Winston Churchill Boulevard and Argentia Road in Mississauga, Toronto Police officer Const. Andrew Hong was shot and killed. Here is a photo of Hong:

Hong was in Mississauga participating in a joint training exercise with officers from Peel Regional Police and York Regional Police, Toronto Police Chief James Ramer said in a statement.

He was shot in an unprovoked and, I may say, in an ambush attack, and succumbed to his injuries," Peel police Chief Nishan Duraiappah told reporters Monday.

Hong appeared to be on a lunch break in the Mississauga Tim Hortons when the gunfire erupted, according to colleagues and witnesses.

Hong and Ashraf were the fatal victims, while three others were hospitalized in the Mississauga and Milton incidents.

It's believed the suspect believed to be involved in both incidents was fatally shot by police in Hamilton Monday around 4:30 p.m.

Here's a surveillance photo of the alleged gunman:

The province's Special Investigations Unit, which investigates all incidents between police and civilians that result in death, serious injury or allegations of sexual assault, has invoked its mandate in relation to the shooting on York Boulevard in Hamilton.

The SIU says that Halton and Hamilton police located a man suspected to be involved in "serious incidents" in Mississauga and Milton in the area of York Boulevard in Hamilton.

"There was an interaction and officers shot the man in Mount Hamilton Cemetery near York Boulevard. Paramedics were called," the SIU said in a news release. "The man died at the scene."

Seven investigators and two forensic investigators have been assigned to the case.

Police are looking into possible motives for the shootings.