‘Very serious homicide investigation’: 1 dead, 1 arrested following stabbing in Toronto’s east end

A homicide investigation is underway after a man was fatally stabbed in East York on Tuesday afternoon.

The incident happened at a high-rise apartment building on Woodbine Avenue, just south of O’Connor Drive.

Toronto police said they were called to that area just after 2:30 p.m. for reports of someone who had been stabbed inside a residence.

There, officers found a male victim with injuries. He was taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries.

Toronto paramedics said they transported a male with critical injuries to the hospital where he later died.

Police later confirmed that the victim is an adult male.

Viewer video obtained by CTV News Toronto shows first responders making a desperate bid to save the victim’s life.

Victim identified by family and friends as 33-year-old Dwight Langille

Family and friends have since identified the victim as 33-year-old Dwight Langille, a life-long east-end resident and a father of three young children.

Mandy Langille is his sister. She told CTV News Toronto that she was on the way to the scene from her home in Oshawa when their sister confirmed from the hospital that her “baby” brother had died.

“I had three brothers. That was the last one I had left and now he’s gone too. ...murdered, just like the last one. ... I’m just happy my parents aren’t alive to see this,” Langille said.

A man named Adam told CTV News Toronto that he arrived home to see all the police activity.

“I just got home, walked through the doors, and seen all the cops and then found out one of my best friends died,” he said.

Another friend named Jamie said she’s “very shocked” by what has happened.

“My friend was murdered today. I don’t know what I feel right now. I’ve known Dwight almost 11 years,” she said.

Friends told CTV News Toronto that Langille was loveable, funny, and a great father.

A unnamed male was arrested at the scene in connection with Langille’s death. He was seen in handcuffs being led to an awaiting police car. It is not clear at this time what charges he may be facing.

“I can tell you that the male and the victim are known to each other. We are not looking for any additional suspects,” Acting Insp. Brian Maslowski told reporters at the scene late Tuesday afternoon.

He added that officers are now “combing the crime scene” as they work to gather evidence in this “very serious homicide investigation.”

Today, police made their presence known with officers guarding a door on the 11th floor. More uniformed police oucould be seen in the stirwell of the 15th floor, next to a pair of discarded red running shoes.

And while police have a suspect in custody, residents told CTV News Toronto that they still don’t feel reassured.

In August 2023, another man was murdered in a stabbing at their building.

“This is the second murder had in this building in space of 2 years -- 3 years -- so what do you expect?,” one tenant said.

“It makes me feel unsafe,” added another.

Underlining that it is “early on in the investigation,” Maslowski said police are “very limited in providing very specific information” as to not compromise its integrity.

Anyone with further information, specifically anyone who was in the area of the stabbing around 2:30 p.m. today, is asked to contact Toronto police at 416-808-5500 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.

With files from CTV News Toronto’s Janice Golding