15-year-old boy who suffered 'catastrophic' head injury while allegedly climbing moving Toronto subway in critical condition

A 15-year-old boy remains in critical condition after suffering a “catastrophic” head injury while allegedly climbing on top of a moving TTC subway car, police said Tuesday.

Officers responded to Warden subway station at around 6:15 p.m on Monday.

The teenager was with two other people on a subway heading westbound when he opened the door leading to the adjoining car and allegedly climbed between the two cars, police said in a release.

Police say he “came into contact with an unknown object” and sustained a 'catastrophic' head injury as a result.

Speaking to reporters on Monday night, TPS Insp. Mike Hayles said the teen likely either struck his head on something in the tunnel or on the top of the subway car.

Paramedics stabilized the boy at the scene before rushing him to a nearby trauma centre. Officers confirmed Tuesday that the boy remains at the hospital in critical condition.

The motivation for why he was attempting to climb on top of the car is “undetermined” at this time, but Hayles confirmed there was no altercation leading up to the event.

Traffic Services is conducting the investigation, and police are asking witnesses who were either on board the subway car or at Wardens station at that time to contact them.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 416-808-1900 or anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

With files from CTV News Toronto’s Abby O’Brien