While Toronto mass shooter was ending lives, this doctor was saving them

Dr. Najma Ahmed was getting ready for bed on Sunday evening when a text message lit up her phone.

She wouldn't really sleep for another three days.

Ahmed, the acting medical director at St. Michael's Hospital, was quickly thrust into the aftermath of one of the worst mass shootings Toronto has ever seen.

Five patients who were wounded in Faisal Hussain's deadly rampage on the Danforth were rushed to St. Michael's that night, including three who underwent "immediate life-saving surgery."

In the coming hours, Ahmed would operate on all three. Much of the focus has been on the victims who lost their lives, and rightfully so, she says but those who survived the shooting will endure months of painful rehabilitation, too.

"It changes your life, and you're never the same,"shetoldCBCNewsfrom an operating room at the hospital, a place she calls "a home."

Toronto is a city with heartand soul, as we've demonstrated. Its citizens rise whenever there is a challenge.-Dr.NajmaAhmed

At the outset, detailsabout the incident werehazy. Police say the crack of bullets started echoing in Greektown at around 10 p.m.

Ahmed was the hospital's on-call backup surgeonat the time. All she knew was this was a "code orange" some sort of mass casualty event.

But as she neared the hospital and saw the lines of police cars and ambulances, it quickly became clear that this was something bigger than the usualcar crashor stabbing.

"I had the sense it was going to be a tough night, and something catastrophic had happened in the city," she said.

Injuries pile up

It had. The 29-year-old shooter had wandered down the Danforth, indiscriminately firing. Witnesses described sheer chaos, as bloodied victims ran for their lives.

Reese Fallon, 18, and Julianna Kozis, 10, were both killed. Thirteen others were hurt.

A police source told CBC News that Hussain killed himself following an exchange of gunfire with officers.

In the aftermath, Sunnybrookand MichaelGarronHospital were similarly swampedwith patients. Dr. DanCass,Sunnybrook'sexecutive vice president and chief medical executive, said there was a scramble to clear the emergency room and make space for new patients.

But Ahmed didn't understand the sheer scope of what had happened when she arrived at the hospital. She just immediately started triaging patients.

Toronto unites at vigil after mass shooting

6 years ago

Duration 0:59

The Greektown shooting late on July 22 took the lives of two people and injured 13 others.

While tending to the wounded on stretchers, she realized one person needed emergency surgery, and rushed him into the operating room.

It wasn't until 4 a.m. on Monday that she fully understoodthe entire city was in mourning.

The mood atthe hospital that night was incredibly serious, she said. Everyone was on the same sort of unspoken wavelength pull together and save as many lives as possible.

"Every single person I saw that night, I saw that in their eyes," she said.

'It's kind of soul crushing'

St. Michael's is no stranger to trauma patients. The hospitalroutinely sees people involved in shootings, stabbings, and catastrophiccar wrecks.

But this incident was different, Ahmed said.

"Because it was in the heart of the city, and the loss of life was so tragic it's kind of soul crushing."

Surveillance video shows Danforth shooter walking past a popular burger restaurant during rampage

6 years ago

Duration 0:34

Faisal Hussain captured on video walking past the Burger Stomper restaurant on the night of the deadly mass shooting.

Hussain'smotives are still largely unclear. ISIS used an online post on Wednesday to claim responsibility for Sunday's attack, but police say they have "no evidence"to corroborate thatlink. ISIS did not provide any evidence tosupport itsclaim.

It's not lost on Ahmed that she is a doctor who happens to be Muslim, treating victims of an attack that has sparked much anti-Muslim rhetoric.

Though she appreciates peoplecommending her work, she's downplayingher importance.

"Lots of people on Earth, regardless of their faith or their religion or even if they don't have faith in a god get up every day and go about their business and try to make the world a better place. I'm just one of those billions of people. I just happen to be in the business of saving lives."

Shooting survivorDanielle Kane was treated by Ahmed. Family spokesperson ByronAbalostold CBCNews thatAhmed saved Kane's life.

"I know that she is a Muslim woman and Iknow that there is sometimes backlash against the Muslim community because of the shooter, and Ithink it's important personallythat we all recognize that one person does not represent the entire community,"Abalossaid.

In spite of Sunday's tragedy, Ahmed is convinced that the city'sspirit will endure.

"Toronto is a city with heartand soul, as we've demonstrated. Its citizens rise whenever there is a challenge."

Watch the full interview here:

Doctor who operated on Toronto shooting victims says it changes your life

6 years ago

Duration 6:08

Dr. Najma Ahmed, who operated on and helped save the lives of several victims of the Sunday night shooting in Toronto, says a night like that 'changes your life, and you're never the same.'

adam.carter@cbc.ca