23-year-old man charged with first-degree murder in deadly Allan Gardens stabbing

Police have charged a 23-year-old suspect in connection with a deadly stabbing in Toronto’s Allan Gardens park last week.

In a news release issued Wednesday, police said Sabir Haredo, of no fixed address, is charged with first-degree murder.

Emergency crews were first called to the east-end Toronto park on Tuesday at approximately 10:40 p.m. near Jarvis and Carlton streets.

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Upon their arrival, police said, a man in his 40s was located with serious injuries. He was transported to hospital where he was later pronounced dead.

He has since been identified by friends and family as 46-year-old Tesfaye Kassa. Those who knew him said he was a loving father to his 17-year-old daughter and worked as an engineer at Pearson airport.

“He was a great guy,” a man who described himself as a close friend of Kassa said last week. “He was a working guy, a humble guy. It’s sad he had to go like that.”

Kassa was the city’s 53rd homicide victim of the year.

Tesfaye Kassa is seen in this undated photograph. (Facebook)

Following an investigation, police determined that Kassa was among a group of people who were hanging out in the park prior to the stabbing.

They believe Haredo then walked up to the group and stabbed Kassa.

It’s unclear if the suspect and the victim knew each other or if they interacted prior to the incident.

Haredo appeared in a Toronto court room on Tuesday.

Anyone with information related to the incident is asked to contact police at 416-808-7400 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at www.222tips.com.