Police investigating ‘suspicious death’ of man at Scarborough Town Centre

Toronto police provided an update on the fatal shooting inside a washroom at Scarborough Town Centre.

Toronto police are investigating after a man in his 20s was found dead along with a firearm in a washroom at Scarborough Town Centre on Thursday afternoon.

Acting Insp. Baheer Sarvanandan said shoppers discovered the man unconscious in a family washroom near the lower-level food court and notified mall security, who then reported the incident to police.

The call came in around 1:51 p.m.

“Upon arrival with paramedics, the person was sadly pronounced deceased,” Sarvanandan said. “Near the person there was a firearm located.”

The cause of death has not been released but police previously said he had been shot. The inspector noted that the incident is being investigated as a “suspicious death.”

“There was no sound of gunshots or active shooting. This happened in a very confined space that no one knew,” Sarvanandan said, noting that it appears a single shot was fired.

He noted that the homicide unit has been notified and is monitoring the investigation.

“At this point in time, we have our forensic experts on scene examining the immediate area and the surrounding area as well. So, based on that, we’ll find out what really transpired,” Sarvanandan said.

When asked if police were looking for suspects, Sarvanandan said, “At this point in time, we don’t have any definite information to suggest that.”

The mall was not evacuated, as officers determined, by reviewing surveillance video, that the building was safe.

“We take these things very seriously and we know the difference between active shooter to things that are danger to the public. As soon as officers arrived, they found the confined area and the firearm was located and based on preliminary investigation, we deemed it to be safe,” Sarvanandan explained.

“So with less interruption to the community and the businesses, we secured the area that we need to investigate and the rest of the mall is open.”

Police have taped off a sitting area with a garbage bin on the second floor of the mall. They have not said if it’s connected to the shooting scene.

“I’m not sure about that,” Sarvanandan said when asked about it.

“Maybe we have some linkage to our deceased person, so that’s the reason that it’s cordoned off.”

Several staff at the food court told CTV News that they did not hear gunshots, only seeing police officers arrive.

“First they cleared off the washroom, and then they taped off that section, and then more police came in,” one worker said.

With files from CP24’s Beatrice Vaisman and CTV News Toronto’s Janice Golding