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CST KWONG: Today I would like to introduce Detective Lesley Dunkley of the Homicide Squad.
He is going to introduce us to Leaford Fullerton and Marvia Creary and he is here to speak
about Homicide #47 for 2012. Detective. Thank you Victor. I want to thank everyone for coming
here today. So, I have called this press conference here today to announce that the Chief of Police
has authorized a $50,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the
person or persons responsible for the *** of Leonard Fullerton. This is homicide #47
for 2012. I am also here to appeal to any witnesses who may have information or evidence
that can assist our investigation and bring it to a successful conclusion. Also here today
is the victim's family that would like to address the media and we'll do that shortly
after the conf in a few moments. I am going to update you on the investigation of Leonard
Fullerton. So, on Tuesday October 30th of 2012 at approximately 4:20pm 26yr old Leonard
Fullerton also known in his community as "Chris" or "Curlz" was shot and killed on the southeast
corner in front of the Weston Pizza and Wings store located at 1239 Weston Road. This is
the area known as the Mount Dennis area of the city of Toronto just north of Eglinton
Avenue. This was a public execution of a human being who was gunned down on the street corner
in the presence of innocent civilians and adjacent to an occupied child day care centre.
The person responsible for this *** remains at large. It is in the interest of public
safety that this individual and any co- conspirators be brought to justice. This investigation
is now 15 months old and as now the lead investigator I can give assurance to the family and to
members of the public that the Toronto Police Homicide Squad and my team of investigators
have not stopped investigating this ***. I want to thank Detective Sergeant Frank Skubic.
He was the previous lead on this case for his tremendous work and dedication and commitment
trying to solve this case. I believe that a number of witnesses who have not come forward
have crucial information about the events that took place on the evening of Tuesday
October the 30th and also have knowledge of the identity of the shooter. The investigation
into the *** of Leonard Fullerton will be solved. I believe that the killer is a
person known in that community and frequents that community. We've received a good level
of information and cooperation from the community which has assisted us in understanding the
dynamics of what took place that Tuesday afternoon. What remains unclear is why this occurred
and who is responsible. It is for that reason I requested the Chief authorize this $50,000
reward. I appeal to those witnesses who have information on the identity of the shooter
and anyone who was present that have not yet come forward to provide the police with a
statement. I ask them to contact me directly at the Toronto Police Homicide Squad 416-808-7400
x777424. I have a video that portrays the suspect and the suspect vehicle that I am
going to release to the media at this time. So what we see here, we're going to see the
suspect vehicle proceed, coming from northbound Weston Rd and it drives eastbound onto Dinardo
Street and reverses into an alleyway adjacent to where the shooting took place and in an
minute here you are going to see the suspect exit the vehicle and proceed towards the corner,
southeast corner of where the shooting takes place. A suspect is identified or described
as a male, black, light skinned complexion, approximately 6 feet tall with a slim build
wearing a dark hooded wool jacket with some accents. A suspect vehicle is described as
a small silver car, either a Honda or a Nissan. While there is a variance in the brand of
the car, what is consistent is that it is a smaller 4 door silver car. Ok. So the family
is here and they would like to address the media and then we will be open to some questions
if you have any. So, Leaford and Marvia if you could come up? Good mornin'. On behalf
of our family Ruth Fullerton and Leaford Fullerton we just want to thank the Toronto Police Department
and lead Detectives for their support in this investigation. We also want to ask if anyone,
anyone knows something, if it is even his friends, we're asking you to call the Detective
and let us solve this problem, this ***. He didn't deserve to die like this. If it's
mistaken identity, whatever the situation is, whoever knows something please come forward
because we need satisfaction. Thank you. Yes, I say thanks to Mr. Dunkley, the leading Detective.
It's very painful for me to lose my only son and if there's someone out there know of the
one that killed my son, I am asking them to come forward. It's a pain that it's not easy
to lose your only son, and if someone out there knows then I would hope that you don't
have the experience that I am having. Please come forward. Report this incident, this person
to the police. You must realize that it could be your son and getting the feelings that
I am getting, it's wonder it's unbearable. Thank you. POLICE: Any questions? REPORTER:
Detective Dunkley, how many key witnesses, actually first if you could just address what
sort of witnesses you are referring to are still out there? People who saw the shooting,
people that have heard about it, after the fact, who did it. DUNKLEY: So as I mentioned,
this shooting took place on the street corner. At the time of the shooting there were a number
of civilians on Weston Rd and on Dinarda that we know of. We've had some cooperation from
some witnesses who have come forward but I know that there still are some witnesses out
there that have information, saw what happened, and that have not come forward, and those
are the people that we want to speak to. REPORTER: How many people were out there that day and
how many people have come forward? DET DUNKLEY: Specifically I can just say that there was
a number of people out there, more than 10 I would say that were in close proximity to
where the shooting took place. Some of them have come forward and provided us with some
information but I know there still remains some people that have not come forward that
have information. REPORTER: How many people would you say are out there sitting on this
information for 15 months and who have chosen not to come forward? DET DUNKLEY: An exact
number I can't say, I mean, again there were cars driving by. It was adjacent to a child
day care centre where parents were picking up their children, there were people walking
on the sidewalk at the time of the shooting on Weston Rd and on Dinarda Street. Some have
come forward and some have not. REPORTER: You said you believe there's people out there
who not only witnessed this, but know the identity of the shooter. DET DUNKLEY Absolutely
REPORTER: but that is because the shooter is just known to many or do you think there
is people out there who perhaps knew about the plan. DET DUNKLEY: Based on our investigation
we know that there are people out there that know the identity of the shooter and that
have not come forward. REPORTER: Detective Dunkley you said that you know of the dynamics
of what took place. Can you give us some more information on that? DET DUNKLEY: I mean essentially
Leonard Fullerton was at that location walking northbound on Weston Rd and at some point
our shooter as you see from the video pulls up in a car. He would have passed Mr. Fullerton
walking as he was walking northbound on Weston Rd. He backs into the parking spot, or the
shooter backs into the parking spot and approaches Mr. Fullerton as he reaches that corner. So,
there was an argument and Mr. Fullerton from all accounts walked away and he was gunned
down at that point. REPORTER: Marvia had mentioned in her comments that even if it was a case
of mistaken identity. Is that something you think happened here or was he targeted? DET
DUNKLEY: My opinion is from the evidence that he was targeted. This was definitely a targeted
shooting. That is what we know and believe. REPORTER: But do you think it starts from
the argument that he had on the street corner or was it something that had been planned
much further along? DET DUNKLEY: I mean, again, based on what I know, I would say it is something
that occurred prior that led to Mr. Fullerton being killed. REPORTER: And how long before
you said that he would have seen Fullerton walking up the street did he pull over immediately
as soon as he saw him get out of the car the argument breaks out and so on or is there
a period of time that passes that he might have been watching because Fullerton had been
inside the pizza shop before then right? DET DUNKLEY: I don't believe that I said that.
REPORTER: No I thought it was something that came out. DET DUNKLEY: No I don't think so.
From my knowledge of the investigation, as I said he was walking northbound on Weston
Rd. The car would have passed him based on the timing of when the shooting happened,
so by the time the vehicle backs into that parking spot, Mr. Fullerton is approaching
the corner and it is a matter of the width of the street where he approaches him and
guns him down. REPORTER: So this all happens really quickly? DET DUNKLEY: It happens very
quickly REPORTER: It happens very quickly after we see the (inaudible). DET DUNKLEY:
Yes, and you can see the car backing in or coming northbound on Weston Rd, then turns
and makes a right turn onto Dinarda Street, then backs in. So at this point, I would say
Mr. Fullerton, from knowledge of the investigation, is now at this point walking northbound on
Weston Rd and he is approaching that corner, and at that point you can see the suspect
exit the vehicle and walk towards the corner and they meet at that corner. REPORTER: Detective,
were any witnesses able to give any idea about what the argument was about? DET DUNKLEY:
Again, we don't have any definitive information in terms of what was said or what led up to
this argument. REPORTER: Have you had any..Is this reward partly just to get people to come
forward? because you haven't had many new tips, or can you tell us about that? DET DUNKLEY:
So, as I mentioned this investigation is 15 months old. I know based on my knowledge of
the investigation that someone knows the identity of the shooter and I am hoping that this reward
will stimulate someone to come forward and identify the shooter. Obviously, an incident
like this affects the whole community and this individual is still at large. He is a
dangerous person and we need to get him off the streets. REPORTER: So you think that's
the key talking to witnesses and getting that identity that will break the case open? DET
DUNKLEY: I believe so, yes. Thank you. CST KWONG: Thank you very much that concludes
today's conference. I am going to roll this (video) for TOC feed, and it will also be
available on youtube and on our news release when it comes out. Once again the spellings
of the name Mr. Leaford L-E-A-F-O-R-D Fullerton and Leonard's Aunt Marvia M-A-R-V-I-A Creary
C-R-E-A-R-Y. I am going to roll this.