Halloween Night for one man ended in horror-movie fashion when a goalie mask-wearing assailant -- dressed as Jason from "Friday the 13th" -- slashed his neck with a beer bottle, leaving him with about 40 stitches.
And the police are stumped for the time being because the three suspects wore costumes.
"It's almost a perfect night to commit a crime," Sgt. Rob Hargan of the Toronto Police Service's 14 Division told ctvtoronto.ca on Saturday. "What do you do? It's Halloween. You can get away with walking around with a mask on."
The incident occurred on College Street just east of Bathurst after 3:30 a.m., meaning the bars had emptied out for the night.
Hargan said the victim, dressed as the late "gonzo" American journalist Hunter S. Thompson, was walking eastward with a friend when they encountered a group of three young men in Halloween costumes.
Words were exchanged and the victim moved on, but the other three followed, he said.
After more words were exchanged, one of the three -- dressed in the goalie mask -- slashed the victim, and the suspects fled west on College Street, he said.
A bouncer from a nearby club used a towel to apply pressure to the wound. Paramedics were quickly on the scene and took the victim to hospital, Hargan said.
"Thankfully the cut wasn't to the front of his neck or it could have been a homicide," he said, noting the wound was estimated to be about three centimetres deep.
Hargan said investigators don't know yet if the two groups knew each other, but he suspected they did not.
The incident could be related to alcohol consumption, he said.
Elsewhere in 14 Division, there were lots of minor calls for domestic disturbances and late-night parties, Hargan said.
No homicides or shootings were reported elsewhere in Toronto on Halloween night.
Police would like anyone with information about the College Street stabbing to call them at 808-1400 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS.
