Disturbing news broke last week that the official afterparty for Drake’s Ovo Fest event in Canada had been turned into a bloodbath, with three people killed and two others injured when a gunman opened fire inside a Toronto nightclub.
While it still remains unclear whether Drake or any of his high-profile guests were present at the time of the shooting, which claimed the lives of bystanders Ariela Navarro-Fenoy and Duvel HIbbert, the rapper has now spoken publicly for the first time following the tragic event, and shared his feelings about what went down.
In a statement published via his personal blog, Drake expressed grief and confusion, offered his condolences to the victims’ families, and appealed for Canadians to take better care of one another.
His full statement reads:
The last few days I have been in a moral bind.
I am used to the fact that my life and the things I say to my fans are closely watched. It’s tough in situations like this where there’s a tragedy and I consider the advice of my trusted advisors and counsel who worry that anything I might say could be misinterpreted
However, today I am choosing to follow my heart.
I am plagued and pained by the violence that continues to escalate in our city. I stare into the eyes of so many young people and I wish to see them all shine as bright as they possibly can in this lifetime. I encourage my generation to show as much value and gratitude as you can for the lives we have been gifted.
My deepest condolences go out to the Navarro-Fenoy and Hibbert families for their loss of Ariela and Duvel. Along with them I send my condolences to all of the families that have lost loved ones to the senseless violence that has and continues to occur in our city.
Although Toronto is globally viewed as a major city, at the core we are still a small close-knit community, and it is our public responsibility to ensure the safety and wellbeing of one another. We need each other to further our communities for generations to come.
I pray for better times and better understanding.
Toronto police have called the shooting “sporadic” and have yet to make any arrests.
However they have issued an appeal for witnesses to come forward, and the investigation continues.
Watch: CP24 News Report – Ovo fest Afterparty Shooting
