A man was shot and killed in a brazen attack along the Mountain View Avenue corridor in East Kingston on Thursday, leaving residents on edge. The victim, identified as 40-year-old Robert Williams, was near a local restaurant when the shooting occurred around 1:15 p.m., police reported.
According to investigators, Williams worked at Excelsior High School and went out on his lunch break. While out, he was gunned down by a masked man who hopped out of a silver Toyota Axio that drove up and parked nearby.
The assailant fired several shots in his direction, striking Williams multiple times. After the attack, the gunman returned to the awaiting vehicle and fled the scene. Williams, who collapsed after getting shot, was rushed to the Kingston Public Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
The shooting was caught on CCTV footage that has been circulating the internet. After the incident, police cordoned off the area, which temporarily disrupted traffic as the investigators probed the scene.
Residents expressed shock and fear over the attack, describing it as unprecedented for the neighbourhood. A local expressed disbelief that people would seemingly now have to be on the lookout for gunmen when they are buying food.
This incident comes amid a string of violent episodes along the Mountain View corridor. Community members have drawn connections between this latest killing and a previous shooting on Sligo Road on February 10 that is currently being investigated. That incident left one man, known as Shamar or ‘Jing Bang’, dead and two other people injured.
The recent surge in violence has had a noticeable impact on daily life in the area. Residents report keeping children indoors during school holidays and limiting outdoor activities for personal safety. A local said the violence is especially troubling because the motive remains unknown, raising concerns that anyone can be targeted. Some residents have reportedly moved out of the area due to fear.
