Mississauga, Milton shooting rampage suspect was considered a ‘high risk to reoffend’

The man police believe hunted down a Toronto cop before ambushing him and gunning him down as he sat having lunch inside a Mississauga Tim Hortons had an extensive criminal history and in 2007 was flagged as a “high risk to reoffend.”

At a multi-jurisdictional news conference this morning (Sept. 15) headed by Peel Regional Police, the identity of the suspect believed to be responsible for Monday’s (Sept. 12) violent rampage that killed two people and injured three others in Mississauga and Milton was officially revealed.

Sean Petrie, 40, of no fixed address, had an extensive criminal record dating back nearly two decades that included several firearms convictions in addition to convictions for assault, armed robbery, breach of probation and several property and driving offences.

He was also prohibited from owning a firearm and his last conviction was in 2015 for a criminal driving offence.

Police said today that he had been estranged from family members for one to more than five years at the time of Monday’s shootings, which unfolded at 2:15 p.m. at the Meadowvale Tim Hortons in north Mississauga.

That’s where veteran Toronto Police Const. Andrew Hong, 48, was ambushed from behind and shot to death at close range while sitting alone inside the coffee shop.

Police confirmed today that Hong, as a uniformed police officer, was targeted by the suspect, who was lying in wait for more than two hours at the coffee shop and after the slaying tried unsuccessfully to take the officer’s service pistol.

The suspect quickly fled that scene and moments later across the street shot a man in order to steal his vehicle. That man is in stable condition in hospital.

It’s then believed the suspect sped away and some 30 minutes or so later wound up at a Milton auto repair shop, where police confirm Petrie worked last year for “a short period of time.”

The vehicle police say Petrie drove to the Mississauga Tim Hortons on Monday (Sept. 12) prior to the shootings.

The auto shop owner, Shakeel Ashraf, 38, was shot and killed and two other men were also shot.

One is recovering from a gunshot wound to the leg while the other, a 28-year-old international exchange student, is in hospital and not expected to survive.

According to reports, Petrie was fired from his job at the shop last year and “some threats were made to the business owner.”

Police said they’ve “heard rumours of threats,” but have not yet confirmed that information.

After the Milton shooting, police say the suspect fled in the stolen vehicle and was confronted a short time later in Hamilton by Halton Regional Police officers.

During an attempt to arrest Petrie, a Halton officer shot and killed him.

Peel police Chief Nishan Duraiappah said investigators are now trying to gather as much information as they can about Petrie, his last known associations with people and any other information related to the shootings.

Duraiappah said Petrie drove to the Mississauga Tim Hortons in a red Toyota Corolla and parked in an adjacent lot.

“We are appealing for the public’s help and are looking for information on who (Petrie) interacted with leading up to this incident,” the police chief said.

Police ask anyone with information on Petrie or the shootings to call investigators at 905-453-2121, ext. 3205.

MK Auto Repairs in Milton, where the business owner was fatally shot during a rampage on Monday (Sept. 12).