Rash of false starts sweeps across the downtown core

Toronto [Globe and Mail]
Tuesday, January 17th, 2005

The new year begins as the last year ended - with a record number of shootings across the City of Toronto. In recent months shootings have escalated, not only making it a key issue in the federal campaign, but also shocking many citizens into jumping prematurely from the start line of the many of the half and full marathons run in Toronto.

"This is not the same community I grew up in. In my youth I recall starting races to the sound of a single gunshot" claimed Ashton Briggs, a seasoned Toronto marathoner. "Multiple gunshots have disqualified a lot of innocent runners."

Police Chief Bill Blair sent out a message demanding "all armed criminals use silencers on all their firearms to prevent these tragic, uncoordinated starts."