From 4:29 pm to 5:32 pm, UTSC campus was in lockdown after reports of a shooting in the Highland Creek Valley immediately next to campus. One person has been pronounced dead. Police are on scene investigating currently. 

The lockdown has since been lifted, but students should still continue to avoid the Valley and the Valley parking lot. Pathways to the Valley remain closed. 

A spokesperson for the university wrote that “Toronto Police have advised this is an isolated incident and there is no ongoing threat to the University of Toronto community.”

At 4:36 pm, Toronto Police Service (TPS) shared on X that there were reports of someone with serious injuries at 3:34 pm. TPS located a person with a gunshot wound, who has been pronounced deceased. The homicide unit has been notified.

TPS initially reported the location as Military Trail and Old Ring Road — near the student residences — but at 5:04, TPS updated the location to Highland Creek Trail and Old Kingston Road. A spokesperson for the university wrote that the shooting occurred in a “wooded area near the University of Toronto’s Scarborough campus.”

At 4:29, U of T’s first alert read, “If you are in a UTSC building, stay where you are. If you are outdoors near the site, leave the area immediately or seek safe shelter.” 

At 5:32 pm, U of T released an alert stating that police have advised that the lockdown and shelter in place are no longer required. 

At 4:53 pm, there were 299 users connected to the UTSC campus wifi, including 147 at the residence buildings. 

More updates to follow. 

Editor’s Note (December 23, 6:25 PM): the article has been updated to reflect U of T’s statement to The Varsity.