Man wanted in connection with East York stabbing

A man in his 50s is in life-threatening condition following a stabbing in East York.

Police say they were called to a home on Don Valley Drive in the area Pape Avenue and O’Connor Drive just after 7 p.m. for reports someone had been stabbed.

When they arrived they found a man suffering from stab wounds. Paramedics transported him to a nearby hospital in critical condition.

“We believe at this time this was an isolated incident and that there is no risk to the public,” said Toronto police Insp. Peter Wehby. “We also believe that these people know each other, the suspect and the victim.”

The suspect is described as a Black male, around 40 years of age, approximately five-foot-nine with a slim build and a beard. Police say they believe he is driving 2018 blue Chevrolet Cruz bearing the licence place CYRY391.

A neighbour tells The Leader Spirit that police have been called “multiple times” to the home, which is operating as an illegal rooming house.

“It’s an every night occurrence. There’s always something going on in there. So whatever happened tonight …is a culmination of these ongoings,” said Clive Thomasson.

Thomasson added the City sent residents in the neighbourhood letters of apology, saying that they dropped the ball knowing that the home was operating as an illegal rooming house.

“I know they’re disenfranchised and I know people need housing but this isn’t really the way, to turn a blind eye to it is not the way to deal with it,” he said.

“We feel threatened, we feel unsafe.”