Father of former child actor killed in Danforth hit-and-run says his son ‘was an amazing young man’

The father of a former child actor killed in a weekend hit-and-run on Danforth Avenue says his son “was an amazing young man with his whole life ahead of him.”

Gabriel del Castillo Mullally, 25, was struck by a vehicle near Danforth and Woodbine Avenues at around 4 a.m. on Sunday in an incident that police are now investigating as a homicide.

Guy Mullally, Gabriel's father, told CTV News Toronto in an emailed statement that there aren't any words to describe the family's pain and grief at this time, adding, it's "a nightmare existence that will never end."

"He was very bright, he was musically talented, he was generous and kind and hugely protective of those he loved. He was in second year at Toronto Metropolitan University where he was studying business law, he hoped to one day go to law school,” Mullally said.

"All that he was and all that he will ever be vanished in the blink of an eye, and somewhere out there, there is a frightened young man who must now live with this terrible thing that he has done for the rest of his life.”

Gabriel del Castillo Mullally (second left) is seen in this image on Sept. 13, 2011. The former child actor was killed in a hit-and-run in Toronto on Feb. 05, 2023. (Getty Images / Toronto police)

In an emailed statement sent to CTV News Toronto earlier today, filmmakers Yonah Lewis and Calvin Thomas said Mullally starred in their 2011 movie ‘Amy George’ which premiered at TIFF.

According to his IMDb profile, Mullally also acted in the 2013 film ‘Tati.’

“We’re shocked and devastated by Gabriel's tragic death. Out of respect for the family, we’d prefer to not say anything at this time,” Lewis and Thomas said.

Actor Gabriel del Castillo Mullally of "Amy George" poses during the 2011 Toronto International Film Festival at the Guess Portrait Studio on September 13, 2011 in Toronto, Canada. (Photo by Jeff Vespa/WireImage)

Toronto police have previously said that Mullally was at a bar in the area prior to the hit-and-run.

He was walking along a sidewalk when he was struck by a vehicle driven by the suspect.

Mullally was taken to St. Michael’s Hospital at about 4:30 a.m. with life-threatening injuries. He was pronounced dead there a short time later.

Witness Natasha Bilak told CP24 that she heard yelling outside of her nearby residence just before a pedestrian was struck.

She said, at that time, there was an altercation between a group of young adults and a man who she believes is in his late 20s or early 30s.

“There was a dispute which ended up with the man getting into his car and deliberately driving [his vehicle] into the crowd of young adults. They were able to get out of the way,” Bilak said, adding the driver then made a U-turn on Danforth Avenue and drove towards the group a second time.

“He had seen a gap and basically hopped up on the curb [in his vehicle] and hit the one man. I’ve never witnessed something like that before. It’s definitely really scary.”

Toronto police are appealing to witnesses or anyone with video of the incident or area to come forward.