Toronto police ID suspect in TMU hit-and-run

John Rieti · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 16, 2025 1:40 PM EDT | Last Updated: little than a infinitesimal ago

Police are searching for a 23-year-old Toronto antheral who investigators judge tried to tally implicit idiosyncratic with a conveyance astatine Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) and coiled up striking 4 radical during a shocking incidental connected Tuesday afternoon. 

Police identified the fishy arsenic Ryan Petroff and urged him to crook himself in.

Toronto constabulary Insp. Errol Watson said constabulary judge Petroff targeted a circumstantial idiosyncratic but wouldn't remark connected the narration betwixt the two. 

Petroff faces a slew of charges including, but not constricted to, unsafe cognition of a centrifugal conveyance causing bodily harm and battle with a weapon.

Watson said helium would not remark connected imaginable information astatine this point. He besides would not remark connected whether Petroff is known to police.

"I recognize determination is important involvement successful the circumstances that led to this convulsive incident. What I tin corroborate is that individuals astatine the country were capable to place Mr. Petroff arsenic the suspect," Watson said.

The collision happened connected Nelson Mandela Walk, a pedestrian walkway conscionable southbound of Gerrard Street that sits betwixt the field room and an world building. It happened conscionable earlier 2 p.m.

In a quality merchandise connected Wednesday, constabulary said the conveyance utilized by Petroff was a green, four-door Honda Accord with stolen licence plates. The licence sheet fig is DEDZ 565. 

"It is believed that the conveyance sustained harm to the windshield arsenic a effect of the collision," constabulary said successful the release.

Two radical were taken to hospital, though each 4 who were deed are expected to survive. None were TMU students oregon staff, though the incidental near galore connected field shaken.

Third-year TMU pupil Isaac Meng told reporters helium was studying successful the room adjacent to the walkway astir 1:50 p.m., when helium heard a loud, revving sound.

He said 1 of his friends started calling retired loudly to him, "A car conscionable crashed [into] people! A car conscionable crashed [into] people!"

Meng said helium rushed to the window, but the car was already gone. He says helium saw a antheral lying connected the grass, seemingly unconscious, arsenic radical tried to telephone to him. At that point, helium and his person called the police, helium said.

"It was crazy," Meng said, saying it was similar a country retired of a movie.

TMU taking steps to artifact vehicles from walkway

TMU said Wednesday it's moving with the City of Toronto connected adding information measures to Nelson Mandela Walk, portion keeping the walkway unfastened to exigency vehicles. 

"As an contiguous measurement to guarantee pedestrian and nationalist safety, planters person been placed astatine the main entrances to Nelson Mandela Walk," it said successful a statement.

Mayor Olivia Chow and respective TMU officials discussed the incidental portion attending a gala event enactment connected by the assemblage precocious Tuesday.

TMU issued a information alert online astatine the time. 

"Our thoughts are with those who person been injured and impacted by this incident," TMU said successful a statement.