The Piper Arms pub in Scarborough was the site of a mass shooting around 10:30 p.m. on Friday, March 7. 12 injuries have been reported but none are believed to be life-threatening according to Toronto Police.
The Piper Arms pub was celebrating its grand opening on the night of the shooting. The pub, located at 520 Progress Avenue near the Scarborough Town Centre, had been undergoing renovations for at least the last two years.
The pub is located in a historic building known as the Scott House. The building dates back to 1841 and got its name from the man who first lived there, George Scott. Descendants of Scott continued to live on the property after his death (1865) until 1943.
Over the years the building has housed several restaurants including a Baton Rouge steakhouse and The Old Scott House. The building also sat empty for many years, neglected and boarded up after it was gutted by vandals. It was renovated in 1978.
A plaque created by the Scarborough Historical Society describes its signifance to the area.
Following the closure of the previous restaurants, a new tenant was announced in March, 2023 but it took two years for the Piper Arms pub to open this location.
The Piper Arms pub is a chain of restaurants in Southern Ontario with 15 locations including Burlington, Kitchener, Whitby, London, Guelph and Hamilton. The Scarborough pub was its first Toronto location.
Piper Arms is known for its cheap chicken wing deals and long list of standard pub fare including calamari, breaded mozzarella sticks, nachos, burgers and sandwiches. The pubs have a casual atmosphere and are open for brunch, lunch and dinner.
