A male cyclist has succumbed to his injuries in hospital after he was struck by a vehicle and possibly shot in the city’s Little Portugal neighbourhood.
The cyclist was reportedly hit by a vehicle at around 5:30 p.m. in a small parking lot behind a school near Frankish and Sheridan avenues, which is near Dundas and Dufferin streets.
Police say that there was some sort of altercation between the three male occupants of the vehicle and the victim following the collision. The occupants then fled the scene on foot, leaving the vehicle behind.
Paramedics tell CP24 that while the incident was first reported as a collision, the victim was found with a possible gunshot wound to his chest.
Police, however, have not confirmed that detail at this point.
Homicide detectives were called to the scene on Saturday night but the incident has not been formally designated a homicide.
“The investigation is in its very early stages,” Acting Supt. Richard Hegedus told CP24 at the scene. “We don’t have a cause of death and the events that led up to the collision are unclear at the moment so I don’t want to speculate.”
The victim was initially transported to hospital in life-threatening condition but was pronounced dead a short time later.
Hegedus said that forensic identification unit officers are on scene now as well as investigators from Traffic Services, who are completing a full reconstruction of the accident. .
He said that police have already spoken to several witnesses at the scene but are looking to speak with anyone else who may have seen what transpired or got a glimpse of the suspects as they fled the scene.
“We are actively looking for the suspects and trying to identify them,” he said.
The victim is believed to be a male in his late teens or early 20s, according to paramedics.
