Daylight Shooting Claims Lives of Two Men in Vaughan

Two men were killed in Vaughan on Wednesday evening, according to police.

York Regional Police reported they got calls about gunfire outside a house on Kaiser Drive, near Martin Grove and Langstaff roads, just after 5:30 p. m.

When officers arrived, they found two men with multiple gunshot wounds, as stated by York Regional Police Const. Kevin Nebrija. The victims were later declared dead at the scene.

Three male suspects were seen fleeing the area in a blue SUV, Nebrija told reporters during a press conference on Wednesday night.

Nebrija described the incident as a “chaotic and horrific event” that was “targeted.”

“It’s not often that double homicides happen, especially in broad daylight,” he remarked.

On Thursday, the Office of the Chief Coroner identified the victims as Pasquale Casciato, 49, and Christian Belsito, 34, both from Vaughan. The cause of death for both was due to gunshot wounds, police announced in a news release Thursday.

One victim lived at the house where the shooting occurred while others were present inside at the time, Nebrija explained. He mentioned that the other victim resided nearby.

Police say one victim lived in the residence where the shooting took place in front of. A neighbour in the area said the man living there was ‘a hell of a nice guy.’ (CBC)

Residents should anticipate a strong police presence in the area for some time; however, he assured there’s no threat to public safety.

Authorities are investigating whether there’s any connection between this double shooting and a vehicle fire that occurred nearby.

A vehicle matching the description given for use by suspects was found ablaze in a rural area near Huntington Road and Kirby Road shortly after police received reports about the shooting.

If anyone has information or dashcam footage related to this incident, they are encouraged to reach out to police or Crime Stoppers.

One victim remembered as ‘a nice guy,’ says neighbour

The local resident who knew one of the victims described him as “a hell of a nice guy,” according to neighbour Fernando Conforti. He noted that his son attended school with one victim who used to offer car-cleaning services for people.

Conforti shared that he and his wife were having dinner when it all happened. At first glance, they thought people might be setting off fireworks before the long weekend but soon realized something serious had occurred when sirens filled their neighborhood along with first responders arriving on scene.
“I’ve been here for over 40 years; it’s a quiet neighborhood,” he expressed. “I’m wondering what’s going on in this world.”

An additional neighbour named Mohammad Azimi initially felt concerned for his family’s safety but said knowing it was targeted helped ease his worries.
“This is a country [that’s] very safe,” Azimi said; he wasn’t home when it happened.

“This street is wonderful. We know all our neighbours. This is an amazing place.”


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