Police identify suspect, give new details about vehicle he allegedly drove following ‘targeted’ TMU campus hit-and-run

Police have identified 23-year-old Ryan Petroff, of Toronto, as the suspect of an April 15 hit-and-run on the TMU campus. They say the vehicle he drove is a green, four-door Honda Accord with the licence plate DEDZ 565. (TPS photos)

Toronto police are searching for a 23-year-old man they allege is responsible for a ‘targeted’ hit-and-run on the TMU campus that injured four people on Tuesday.

During a Wednesday afternoon news conference, police identified the suspect as Toronto resident Ryan Petroff.

“We believe this individual is dangerous, and we are urging the public not to approach him. If you see him, call police immediately,” said Insp. Errol Watson, of 51 Division.

“Mr. Petroff, if you are seeing this, get legal counsel and turn yourself in to the police.”

Watson said individuals at the scene identified Petroff as the suspect, however to “protect the identity of the victim,” he would not comment on the nature of the relationship between the suspect and intended target.

He would also not speak to the motivations for this incident at this stage and would not say if the suspect is known to the police or if he had a criminal history.

Police also provided more details about the vehicle the suspect allegedly drove and fled in, saying that it is a green four-door Honda Accord with the licence plate DEDZ 565.

Watson added that this vehicle, which has not been located, has stolen licence plates.

The incident in question happened on Tuesday at around 2 p.m. on Nelson Mandela Walk, near Yonge Street and Gerrard Street East.

In a news release, police said four people were sitting on a bench when a motorist drove onto a pedestrian walkway, striking three of them, before fleeing.

The fourth victim, they said, was injured in the ensuing chaos.

Toronto Police Service (TPS) said two of the victims were taken to the hospital by ambulance with serious, but non-life-threatening injuries, while the two others received minor injuries, were assessed at the scene, and received treatment there.

Investigators said the individual that they believe was the intended target was one of the three people who were struck. However, their injuries were minor and they did not go to the hospital, TPS told CP24.

None of the victims attended or worked at the post-secondary institution, they added.

Police say incident is ‘isolated’

Speaking with the media at the scene late Tuesday afternoon, Duty Insp. Todd Jocko said they believe the vehicle’s driver was targeting one person when they entered the pedestrian-only walkway.

He said it appears that the suspect and their intended target knew each other, but wouldn’t elaborate on the nature of their relationship, adding that police believe what occurred was an “isolated incident.”

The suspect, police said, fled the area eastbound on Gould Street towards Church Street.

Chow ‘shocked’ by incident

Early this afternoon, Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow reiterated that when she was a professor at TMU she walked the corridor in question almost every day.

“It is just shocking that this could happen” Chow said following an unrelated news conference in the city’s Beach area.

“My heart goes out to the victims and the families. We wish for a speedy recovery and the police are actively investigating.”

The mayor said she attended an event at TMU on Tuesday night and spoke with the university’s president and provost about the incident, adding that they’re working very closely with the police on the investigation.

She also said that the area where the hit-and-run occurred is “very safe” and what happened it is not due to “design problems.”

In an April 16 statement, TMU called yesterday’s incident “very troubling.”

“[We are] thinking of all of those who have been impacted,” the university wrote, adding that it “wants to ensure that the campus remains a safe, walkable place.”

“As an immediate measure to ensure pedestrian and public safety, planters have been placed at the main entrances to Nelson Mandela Walk and barriers have always been in place at Victoria and Bond Streets.”

The university noted that its pedestrian streets – Nelson Mandela Walk, Gould Street, and parts of Victoria Street – are City of Toronto property and must be accessible to emergency vehicles, but said it is in discussions with the city about ‘what additional safety measures can be implemented to ensure pedestrian walkways used by TMU community members and the public are safe while maintaining accessibility for emergency vehicles.”

Jocko, meanwhile, said police understand that incidents like these “raise a lot of concerns for people.”

“We want to assure the public that we are actively investigating and taking all necessary steps to ensure public safety,” he said on Tuesday.

The investigation is ongoing and anyone with further information is asked to contact TPS at 416-808-5100 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.