In Daylight, on an Ordinary Street, a Life Ended

There is a particular unease that settles over a city when violence arrives in daylight, in the middle of a Tuesday afternoon, at an intersection where people are simply going about their lives. On September 29, shortly before 6 p.m., London, Ontario, joined a list of Canadian communities confronting a fatal shooting in a place that felt, until that moment, ordinary.

Police were called to the area of Central Avenue and Richmond Street in the downtown core after reports of a possible shooting. Officers arrived to find a man suffering from life-threatening injuries. He was transported to hospital by paramedics but was later pronounced deceased. His identity has not been released .

A male suspect was arrested and remains in custody. Police have not disclosed where the shooting occurred, though witnesses told CBC News they saw someone run out of the entrance of an apartment building on Central Avenue shortly after the incident. Investigators are treating the case as a homicide, the fourth in London this year .

The following day, a police constable was stationed outside the entrance of a second-floor apartment in the building. Police vehicles and officers remained visible in the area, a presence that authorities said would continue as the investigation proceeds .

The shooting has unsettled those who live and work nearby. Hyacinth Henry, who owns a business across the street from the apartment building, told CBC News she did not see or hear anything at the time but was saddened to learn what had happened. “It's very sad that things like that could happen right across from us,” she said .

Investigators are asking anyone who was in the area between 5:30 p.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesday—particularly those with dashcam footage or residential or business surveillance video—to contact the London Police Service at 519-661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS .

The suspect is expected to appear in court. Police said more information would be provided as the investigation continues .

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Sources: London Police Service, CBC News, London Free Press, CTV News