Cineplex has officially pulled screenings of a South Indian film following back-to-back drive-by shootings across GTA movie theatres that are now being linked to a turf war. 

On Jan. 24, police were called to a movie theatre in the area of Highway 7 and East Beaver Creek in Richmond Hill after an employee arrived for work and found the windows had been shot at. 

That same day, police in Vaughan responded to a similar call at a theatre in the area of Highway 7 and Weston Road. Toronto police also responded to a call at approximately 11:40 a.m. regarding bullet holes that were found in the window of a theatre near Morningside Avenue and Milner Avenue in Scarborough. 

The suspects are being linked to both occurrences in York Region and to the similar shootings that occurred at cinemas in Toronto and Peel Region on the same night. 

DISCHARGE FIREARM:
Milner/Morningside
11:40 a.m.
- Reports that what appear to be bullet holes found in the window of a theater
- Unknown when this occurred
- Police are on scene
- Evidence of gunfire located
- No victims
- Anyone w/info contact police @TPS42Div#GO177753
^lb

— Toronto Police Operations (@TPSOperations) January 24, 2024

According to investigators, all of the affected cinemas were closed at the time of the incidents, which occurred in the early morning hours. 

The drive-by shootings coincide with the premiere of the Indian Malayalam-language action drama film, Malaikottai Vaaliban. The movie was also pulled by CinéStarz, which owns three locations across Ontario. 

The series of events are being linked to a turf war, with one group reportedly attempting to halt certain South Indian-language films from being shown through vandalism and other forms of pressure. 

Three local movie theatres near Toronto have their screens slashed by knives in same day https://t.co/qKyS844blA #Ontario

— blogTO (@blogTO) February 24, 2022

Since 2015, the violent attacks have spread across many theatres in southern Ontario, with individuals slashing movie screens, and spraying unknown or noxious substances into the air in an attempt to control local screening rights and disrupt screenings.