Kelly Skinner, who is on duty to inspect the Toronto police, said that just before 8pm Eastern Time, emergency responders received an address on Tandridge Crescent that reported a shooting in the area.

“This is a birthday party, a children’s birthday party,” Skinner said.

She said that three of the victims were children, including:

• One year old male.
• Five-year-old female.
• An 11-year-old male.

Earlier, nursing staff said that individual children had serious and life-threatening injuries, but it is not clear which child has suffered which injuries.

Skinner said a 23-year-old man was also shot dead.

“This is a tragedy,” the police said

Skinner said the police are looking for “multiple suspects” and they are calling on anyone with information to come forward.

“This is a tragedy. Three children were shot here tonight,” she said. “We absolutely need your help, so if you have any information that can help us catch these suspects, please call Department 23 at 416-808-2300.”

Earlier, Evert Stringer, deputy commander of the Toronto Department of Nursing Services, told CBC Toronto that five people had been shot dead.

He later clarified that the paramedics assessed five people at the scene, but only four were taken to the hospital.

Ron Taverner of the Toronto Police Department also spoke at the scene.

Taverner said: “Obviously, this is the early stage of the investigation, but at this particular time, it seems that no one was shot specifically targeted.

“It looks like they were there and shot by the shooter in the end.”

Taverna said the suspects walked at the shooting site, but police believe they used a car when they fled.