Nigerian man shot dead on Toronto bus, suspect with murder history arrested
A 40-year-old man with an extensive criminal record has been charged with first-degree murder after shooting a Nigerian national on a GO bus at Yorkdale Bus Terminal in Toronto. The incident happened Sunday, January 4, around 7 p.m., marking Toronto's first homicide of 2026.
Police say both men boarded the bus when the suspect shot 46-year-old Osemwengie Irorere of Nigeria, then fled on foot. Officers arrived to find Irorere with a gunshot wound; despite life-saving efforts, he was pronounced dead at the scene. A witness seated behind the victim described a dark, crowded bus when a single gunshot rang out. 'I assumed it was a popped tyre, but immediately after, a guy sitting in front of me got up, shoved his hands in his pocket and ran off the bus,' the anonymous witness said. A firearm was recovered.
The suspect, Tyrel Gibson of Toronto, was arrested near Yorkdale subway station shortly after. Court documents show Gibson's criminal history dates to 2000 with nearly two dozen charges, including previous convictions for attempted murder and firearm offenses. In 2015, he pleaded guilty to aggravated assault with a firearm and received a lifetime weapons ban. He was sentenced to eight years in 2017, though it's unclear how much time he served. Gibson appeared at Toronto Regional Bail Centre on Monday, January 5.