Toronto cops make arrest in ‘random’ pellet gun shooting of woman, 76

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A 27-year-old Toronto man faces charges after a 76-year-old woman was shot with a pellet gun in the face and hands in what’s believed to have been a random attack in Scarborough.

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The senior was out for her daily walk in the Hupfield Trail and McLevin Avenue area on Wednesday around 11:35 a.m. when a stranger walked past her and then shot at her several times before fleeing.

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“She suffered some pretty serious injuries,” Toronto Police Insp. Michael Williams told a press conference Friday. “Thankfully, she’ll recover from them but quite obviously she’s very traumatized and is actually concerned to walk back on the street again.”

Williams said suspect Umer Saad lives in the neighbourhood where the incident happened.

Saad is charged with assault cause bodily harm, assault with a weapon, weapons dangerous, disguise with intent, and breach of condition sentence order.

The inspector couldn’t say what the court-imposed condition was concerning or if there was any motive.

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“The motive is something we’re working on right now and trying to figure out exactly why it took place,” Williams said. “But at this time it does appear to be random, which is even more concerning when things are random and they’re not targeted.”

He said the community was being very cooperative and providing CCTV and doorbell camera footage.

“We understand how concerning this was for all the members of the community,” he said. “Everyone in the station (42) was upset with what had taken place and everybody dropped everything and worked as hard as they could.

“(It) was a very upsetting incident that took place but at the same time, it’s great to see the community and the police working in partnership to identify this person and arrest them.”

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-4200 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477).

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