A NON-PROFIT COMMUNITY RESOURCE SINCE 1972 SERVING THE BEACH, UPPER BEACH, BEACH HILL, CRESCENT TOWN, EAST DANFORTH, GERRARD INDIA BAZAAR, BIRCH CLIFF, AND CLIFFSIDE
Volume 44 No. 1
March 10, 2015
Game, snow, and match Kew Gardens tennis player Richard Rogers laughs after making a spectacular dive for the ball during a friendly doubles game on Sunday, March 1. Together with Bryan Prettie, John Tavares, and Glen Van Dusen, Rogers plays yearround tennis at Kew, warming up for winter matches by shovelling off the court. PHOTO: ANDREW HUDSON
Two killed in Danforth shooting INSIDE By Andrew Hudson
A FAMILY friend of the late Donny Ouimette has launched a crowdfunding campaign for Ouimette’s four year-old son. Ouimette, 25, and Ryan Hind, 39, were both killed in a shooting inside a McDonald’s restaurant near the Coxwell subway station at about 3 a.m. on Saturday, Feb. 28. Police said the two men were shot after a “fairly significant physical confrontation” with an armed security guard who was in the McDonald’s to buy food. The guard has not been named, nor have police laid charges in the case. “Certainly, he is cooperating, and we’re turning our minds to every possible scenario that could have occurred,” said Det.-Sgt. Terry Browne at a press conference held at 55 Division station.
“We’re early on, and we certainly want to make sure we do our due diligence.” Browne said police and paramedics found the two men dead on scene, while the guard was taken to hospital for non-life threatening injuries. Police have security video of the shooting, and eyewitness accounts from some of the 15 to 20 staff and customers who were in the Danforth Avenue McDonald’s at the time. Rebecca Dixon, a friend of the Ouimette family, said Donny Ouimette’s death came as a shock. Wanting to help in some way, she set up a web page to help raise a college fund for his son. “He loved spending time with his son,” she said, adding that the father and son often played baseball together, went to the beach and to the Maple Leafs home opener. Destiny Dehond, Ouimette’s cousin, said in an email that she grew up playing pick-up baseball
with Donny, and saw how much he enjoyed doing the same thing as a father. “You could tell he really cared about him, and would give him the world,” said Dehond, adding that the idea of a college fund was inspired by something Ouimette wrote on his Facebook page: “My goal is to own my [own] roofing company and house by age 25, and have my son’s college funds paid for.” Dehond said she and the family are heartbroken by her cousin’s death, and she hopes to learn what happened that night. “I’m sure everyone feels the same, including the family of Ryan Hind,” she said. “I believe Donny and Ryan would be at peace knowing we all finally know the truth.” Donations to the college fund for Donny Ouimette’s son can be made online at gofundme.com/ ouimettefund.
COMING SOON! $1,059,000
Celebrating Purim in the Beach ...See Pages 14-15
PLUS
Police Beat.....................4 Community Calendar.....10 BMN’s Neighbourhood...11 Food and Drink..............16 Garden Views................17 Pet of the Month............17 Life on the Child Side....20 Write on Health............20 Deja Views....................21 Beach Arts Scene.........22 Entertainment Beat......27
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