A GUNMAN has opened fire in the city of Toronto, with witnesses saying victims could be seen scattered across a wide area.

Local reporter Jeremy Chohn has tweeted saying the shooting began outside a restaurant on Danforth Avenue near Logan Avenue in Greektown, Toronto.

“Victims are spread across many blocks,” he wrote.

Witnesses say they heard more than a dozen shots ring out in what is a busy restaurant strip about 10pm local time (12.30pm AEST).

Toronto’s Police Chief has confirmed the gunman is dead, and there there are other fatalities.

No further details have yet been provided.

Paramedics have confirmed to local media that the crime scene encompasses a large area and a number of the 10 victims so far retrieved from the scene have suffered “significant injuries”.

Witnesses also reported one of the gunshot victims is a child.

Witnesses have told local media a man dressed in black was seen in the street, firing a gun between 15 and 20 times.

Witnesses are being taken from the scene by bus to be interviewed at nearby police stations.

The scene of the attack is about 14.5km from Yonge Street, where a motorist went on a ramming rampage on April 23, which left 10 people dead and another 15 people injured.

Alek Minassian, 25, will face multiple murder and attempted murder charges in relation to that attack when he reappears in court on September 14.