Unhoused man killed in 'unprovoked' attack on bench near U of T: Toronto police

Toronto police homicide detectives are searching for a man who allegedly killed an unhoused man in an unprovoked attack near the University of Toronto's downtown campus Thursday morning.

Just before 8:30 a.m., police responded to a call from school security, Det. Sgt. Trevor Grieve told reporters at a news conference Friday. A man had been located on the ground with visible injuries in the area of Queen's Park Crescent and College Street, he said.

Campus security attempted life-saving measures, Grieve said, but the man was pronounced dead at the scene.

The victim has been identified as Mario Ferreira, 60, of Toronto. Ferreira's next of kin have been informed of the incident, Grieve said.

A post-mortem exam Friday found the cause of death was blunt force trauma, Grieve said. Homicide investigators are looking into the death, which Grieve said was the result of a random attack.

Police have obtained and reviewed video footage from the area, Grieve said, which showed an unprovoked attack by an unknown suspect at approximately 5:20 a.m. None of that video has been released to the public.

Grieve said video showed Ferreira was lying on a bench near 6 Queen's Park Cres. at the time, possibly sleeping. The video then captured another man in the area walking toward the bench with unidentified "debris" in his hand, Grieve said.

"Without any warning or provocation, the suspect approaches Mr. Ferreira, who's lying on the bench, and he uses that debris to assault him repeatedly and violently," Grieve said.

The suspect then fled the area on foot, Grieve said, and was last seen heading west on College Street.

The suspect is described as a Black man of medium to large build, weighing approximately 200 pounds. He has short, black dreadlocks and a black beard. At the time of the incident, he was wearing a beige, camouflage, short-sleeved shirt, with a blue and black backpack, and black and red Air Jordan Nike sneakers. 

The suspect is considered armed and dangerous, Grieve said. He asked the public not to approach him if they see him, but instead to immediately call police.

Grieve urged the suspect to seek legal counsel and turn himself in to the police.

Investigators are asking anyone with more information, or who has video of the area from the time of the incident, to come forward.

Ferreira's death marks the fifth homicide in Toronto so far this year.