Basketball: Chaos ensues as four shot during Toronto Raptors victory parade

Friends embrace after shots were fired during the Toronto Raptors NBA basketball championship parade. Photo / AP

Toronto police have made arrests and seized firearms after four people were shot and seriously injured during the Toronto Raptors NBA Championship victory parade.

Police took two people into custody after a shooting at the heart of the parade in Nathan Phillips' Square this morning (NZT), which was attended by more than one million people.

Toronto Police Chief Mark Saunders told AP four people suffered gunshot wounds Monday and that none of the injuries were life-threatening. Saunders said others suffered minor injuries as they tried to get away from the shooting.

He asked for witnesses and people who might have video from the scene to come forward.

A woman is treated by a paramedic after being pulled from the crowd during the Toronto Raptors NBA basketball championship parade in Toronto. Photo / AP

Saunders said the two people were arrested "with firearms."

Police have not said whether they believe the shooting was a targeted attack or an act of terrorism.

One witness told Bruce Arthur, the Toronto Star sports columnist, that four shots had been fired, with a victim down receiving medical attention and surrounded by onlookers. Others in the crowd began to run and police were clearing the area while speeches on the stage continued.

A woman with a head injury is stretchered into an ambulance during the Toronto Raptors NBA Championship parade. Photo / Getty

I’m on the roof of city hall and something is happening. People are running including what looks to be cops and security pic.twitter.com/FEbhw88OqI

— Jennifer Pagliaro (@jpags) June 17, 2019

There has been a reported shooting near the Raptors parade. Everyone in Toronto please be safe right now 🙏🏼♥️

This is not what this day should be remembered for. So sad... pic.twitter.com/M6rM17Nzhp

— Baseline Hoops (@baseline_hoops) June 17, 2019

Police also confirmed there was a stabbing near the Eaton Centre, with multiple people injured.

Fans at in the area could be seen running from the south side of the square. The incident was repotedly announced on stage during the celebration.

Speechless. #WeTheNorth pic.twitter.com/Ulb7MtDnK9

— Toronto Raptors (@Raptors) June 17, 2019

NBA Finals MVP Kawhi Leonard raises the trophy. Photo / Getty

One young fan, Nicolas Caramanna said the crowd started to get rowdy shortly after he arrived at 9 a.m.

"I'm really hot and tired, but I'm going to stick around," he said. "When else am I going to get a chance to do this?"

Many others chose to miss school or work. Cypher Sabanal, 15, said his mum let him skip class to attend the celebration.

"I actually have exams this week, but being here is worth it," he said.

The Toronto Raptors Championship parade. Photo / Getty

The droves of jubilant Raptors fans raised safety concerns, however, as problems with overcrowding persisted.

The parade route ended in a square outside City Hall, where police had to lift those seeking safety over barricades to help them escape the crush.

City officials prevented any further entry into the square and were forced to shut down several subway stations near the parade due to overcrowding.