Danforth café closes doors after third homicide

Site to become daycare centre

Former Rotana Cafe sees its final hours of operation.

Police investigate shooting in front of former Rotana Café on Danforth Avenue.

After three fatalities in three years, a Danforth Avenue café has closed down to soon become a child care centre.

City councillor Mary Fragedakis said today the landlord of Cloud Nine has been negotiating with childcare operators to run what would be the fifth daycare in the area according to GoDayCare.com.

The drastic chain of events started in 2013 when a firefighter from Markham, Dominic Parker, 45, was stabbed to death inside the establishment, called Rotana Café at the time.

In 2015, Abdiweli Mohamed Yusuf, 21, was killed by gunshots at the same location.

Finally, early on Sunday, police were called to the Cloud Nine café after a shooting that left Abdullah Farah, 20, with no vital signs. The man died at the hospital.

Isa Melo, a resident in the neighbourhood says she is relieved the curse is finally over.

“It’s peaceful to know that a niche for homicides closed down. I feel safer,” she said.

Yesterday, Bailif took possession of the café, which is now shut for good.

Fragedakis and Councillor Paula Fletcher who were exchanging tweets yesterday about the latest shooting don’t believe the events were random. “Coincidence? Only in the movies does lightning strike same place 3 times!” tweeted Fragedakis.

The childcare facility is scheduled to open in July this year.

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Posted: Apr 19 2016 6:45 pm
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