Man dies in car accident, his wife Mass shooting in Toronto She said she heard his dying voice on the phone when he tried to contact her in his final moments.
Heather Parkes Delroy George ParksThe 61-year-olds have been together for 30 years, married for about 15 of them.
Delroy is one of them Five people shot outside North Albion University College on Sunday evening. Four other people survived.
Delroy's family said he was just hanging out there with friends after playing football, as he had done every day for decades.
“Our lives were taken away from us,” Heather told reporters Tuesday.
“Innocent people were playing tricks. Year after year. And then he was assassinated. Let's face it: He was assassinated.”
Delroy George Parks, 61.
Source: Toronto Police
In his final moments, Delroy tried to call his wife but was unable to speak to her directly.
Instead, Heather heard his last voice in the background.
“All I heard in the background was his moaning and him saying he wasn’t going to make it,” Heather said through tears.
“I never spoke to him in person, but you could hear him in the back saying he wasn’t going to make it.”
Heather said his friend then picked up the phone and told her Delroy had been shot.
Heather rushed to the scene of the shooting, but by the time they arrived, Delroy had already been taken to the hospital.
Heather then went to the hospital and was told he had died.
Heather told the shooter: “You don't know what you did to us and what you put us through.”
“Turn yourself in. Just turn yourself in.”
Heather Parks and Delroy George Parks.
supply
Toronto police said the victims were gathered after playing soccer earlier in the day and were “really just socializing and enjoying the fresh air” when two suspects pulled up in a black pickup truck, got out and began shooting.
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The suspect remains at large and police are appealing to the public to come forward with information about the case.
The motive for the shooting is unclear.
Superintendent Ron Taverner said Monday there were two other shootings in Toronto's west end over the weekend that were both considered random incidents, but investigators would not say whether they believed the mass shooting was also a random act of violence.
Police said Tuesday they still could not “determine whether this was a random act.”
Police also said a car was spotted in the area, but have not confirmed if it is connected to the shooting.
Heather said, “You're right, I want justice.”
“Our world was taken away from us for no reason.”
Delroy's daughter, Jaidyn Parkes, also told reporters that her father and friends had been visiting the area for years to play soccer.
She said they were all immigrants from Jamaica or other Caribbean regions who came to Canada to start a new life.
“They found family, community and love for each other,” she said.
“They play football every day. They have barbecues, events. I've been going there since I was a kid. Not everyone understands how good we are. People will walk around the field and (they) will invite them to play football with us.”
Jadin said she was sleeping when she got the call about the shooting and she couldn't believe it was real.
“I felt like I was in a dream,” she said.
“I felt like I was dying. I felt like my whole world was gone. My dad was my whole world.”
Jadin said her father was a devout Christian who focused on his family.
She said he loved football very much and his favorite team was Arsenal. She said it was her dream to save money to take him to England to watch Arsenal play. Now, she plans to eventually go alone to watch Arsenal play for him.
Jadin said she is the first Delroy child to graduate from college, and graduation ceremonies will be held next week.
“Even though he won’t be able to see me, I’m going to walk up to this stage and honor him and do this for my father because that’s what he would have wanted,” she said.
Jadin said she is not angry at the people responsible for the shooting because it is not what her father would have wanted.
“He wanted me to forgive this person,” she said.
“I hope they can change their lives and live fulfilled lives to honor his memory. He wouldn't want us to be angry, vengeful or hateful.”
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