A driver who hit four pedestrians on a walkway on Toronto Metropolitan University’s downtown campus on April 15 may have been targeting a specific individual, police say.
The hit-and-run occurred shortly before 2 p.m. on Nelson Mandela Walk, a tree-lined path exclusively for pedestrians located near Yonge Street and Gerrard Street East.
Toronto Police Duty Insp. Todd Jocko said investigators believe one of the people on the walkway was known to the driver.
“It’s still early in this investigation, but at this time, it appears that it may have been an intentional targeting of a specific individual on the walkway,” Jocko told reporters during a media scrum several hours after the incident.
He noted that the two people sent to hospital appeared to be innocent bystanders.
“We are still working to confirm all of those details,” he said. “However, at this stage, it appears to be an isolated incident.”
The driver fled the scene immediately after the incident, he said, noting police are looking for a dark green sedan with a “smashed” windshield last seen heading east on Gould Street. The licence plate of the car is DEDZ 565.
Police will release additional details about the suspect as they become available, he added.
“We understand that an incident like this raises a lot of concerns for people,” he said. “We want to assure the public that we are actively investigating and taking all necessary steps to ensure public safety.”
