MONTREAL: Police in Toronto arrested a suspect Monday in connection with a shooting at a central city mall that killed a man with alleged links to organized crime and left seven other people wounded.

The suspect is believed to have turned himself in after being identified on security footage at the Eaton Centre, Canada's biggest shopping mall and the scene of widespread chaos during Saturday's early evening incident.

“An arrest has been made, no further details at this time,” police announced in a statement on Monday.

Saturday's violence began when a man opened fire at the mall's busy food court and killed 24-year-old Ahmed Hassan, whom police believe was the gunman's target.

Several bystanders also suffered serious gunshot wounds or were grazed by bullets. Hundreds of people tried to flee the scene, trampling over each other and heading for the exits, witnesses reported.

“Our investigation clearly suggests this was a targeted shooting and not a random act of violence against members of the general public,” Detective Sergeant Brian Borg told reporters on Sunday, seeking to reassure the public.

“Regardless,” Borg added, “it was committed in a busy mall in the heart of the city with no regard for members of the public simply going about their regular business.”

Hassan and one of the wounded men are suspected of having links to organized crime, according to police.

In the aftermath of the shooting, police urged people with cell phone videos and other evidence to contact Toronto's homicide squad or Crime Stoppers, a confidential public service where people can leave information helpful to solving crimes.

“It could be valuable evidence for us to use in this investigation,” Borg said. Three of the seven people injured in the shooting remained in hospital on Sunday. The condition of a 13-year-old boy had improved, but a 23-year-old man shot in the neck and stomach was in critical condition, police said.

A pregnant woman, who escaped the bullets but was knocked down in the ensuing stampede, had some contractions on Sunday but did not give birth.