Content
Skip to Main ContentAccessibility Help
Toronto

Suspicious package probe at Queens Quay building ongoing

Some residents of a downtown condo building were not expected to be able to return to their units Thursday night as police continue to probe a suspicious package, an incident investigators have confirmed is linked to the deaths of three people in Scarborough from crossbow injuries.

Police have reopened Queens Quay between Simcoe and York streets

Andrea Janus · CBC News ·

Queens Quay condo evacuated over suspicious package

8 years ago
Duration 0:33
Toronto police evacuate a Queens Quay condo following the discovery of a suspicious package.

Some residents of a downtown condo building were not expected to be able to return to their units Thursday night as police continue to probe a suspicious package, an incident which investigators have confirmed is linked to the deaths of three people in Scarborough from crossbow injuries.

Police received a call about the package at the building near the intersection of Queens Quay and Lower Simcoe Street around 2:30 p.m. Thursday, Toronto police Const. Jenifferjit Sidhu told CBC News. She could not speak to the nature of the package, but said the chemical biological radiological nuclear (CBRN) team had been called in.

Shortly after 5 p.m. Thursday, Det.-Sgt. Mike Carbone told reporters that the evacuation is connected to the Scarborough deaths, but would not provide details.

Queens Quay was closed between York and Simcoe streets to cars, pedestrians and streetcar traffic. Police reopened the street and public transit service returned to normal just before 6:30 p.m.

Traffic is moving again along Queens Quay after police reopened the roadway amid their investigation into a suspicious package at a nearby condo building. (Marjorie April/CBC News)

Const. David Hopkinson said some investigators would remain at the scene Thursday night to continue their work, including collecting evidence. He would not elaborate on where in the building the investigators are focusing their probe, or how many residents may not be allowed back home.

Earlier, officers had to escort parents to a daycare in the building to pick up their children, police said.

A nearby day camp at Harbourfront Centre also kept children inside as police closed the area, and sent a notice to parents that buses would not immediately be able to pick up campers.

Buses eventually were able to load campers, and the camp told parents that police would escort each bus away from the site.

Police evacuated a Queens Quay condo building to investigate a suspicious package. (Marjorie April/CBC )

'Move as far from the building as possible'

Clinton Hupple, a resident at 218 Queens Quay, the building that was evacuated, said earlier Thursday that an announcement came over the loudspeaker just before 3 p.m., instructing residents to leave the building.

An officer told Hupple "to move as far from the building as possible," he said.

He noted that the two other buildings in the complex were not evacuated.

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices|About CBC News
Corrections and clarifications|Submit a news tip|