Police arrest suspect wanted in ‘unprovoked’ assault on UofT campus that left homeless man dead

Police say the suspect wanted in connection with an assault of a man later found dead on University of Toronto's downtown campus has been arrested.

A suspect wanted in connection with an “unprovoked” assault on a man who was later found dead on the University of Toronto’s downtown campus on Thursday morning has been arrested.

The victim, police said Friday, has been identified as 60-year-old Mario Ferreira, who is believed to be an unhoused individual with no association to the university.

Ferreira was found outside the Leslie L. Dan Pharmacy Building at 144 College St., just west of Queen’s Park Crescent, at around 8:20 a.m. on Thursday. But the attack allegedly occurred about three hours before, as Det.-Sgt. Trevor Grieve said surveillance footage captured Ferreira on a bench at around 5:20 a.m.

He adds that the suspect was seen allegedly arming himself with “debris,” which he likely picked up from a dumpster or construction site in the area. He did not say what kind of object it was.

The suspect approached the victim, who was either lying down or sleeping on the bench, and allegedly used that debris to “assault him repeatedly and violently.” Grieve says the suspect fled the area on foot, allegedly still wielding that object he used in the assault.

“From what I can see on the surveillance, I do not see any sort of altercation that occurs between the victim and the suspect,” Grieve told reporters during a news conference on Friday afternoon. “I am treating this as a completely random incident.”

When police found Ferreira’s body hours later, Grieve said he was unconscious and not breathing. He died at the scene.

“The post-mortem was conducted today, and ultimately the cause of death will be blunt force trauma,” Grieve said.

During the news conference, police released photos of the suspect as well as his descriptions. They also said he was considered armed and dangerous.

“To the suspect, if you see yourself on these images, if you’re out walking by a business or are in a location and you see yourself, I urge you please, seek counsel, and turn yourself in to the local police station,” Grieve said.

Hours later, police announced that the suspect had been arrested. Sources told CP24 the man, identified as 31-year-old Adimabua Chukwuka, was apprehended in 51 Division and that a member of the public called 911 after they saw his photo.

Chukwuka has been charged with first-degree murder. He is scheduled to appear in court on Saturday morning.

Furthermore, sources said the accused was “also in the shelter system” and was involved in other violent incidents in 2014 and 2022, in which he was charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, and assault with a weapon.

Investigators continue to ask anyone with information or relevant footage from between 5 and 5:30 a.m. on March 20 to call them or Crime Stoppers anonymously.

With files from CP24’s Beatrice Vaisman