Toronto police say the young man gunned down in Parkdale was likely a drug dealer, and they are trying to find if his death is linked to other recent area shootings.
"We have every indication he was active in the drug trade," Det. Renata Louhkihart told a news conference on Wednesday giving an update on the case of Sultan Dailey.
The 20-year-old was shot in the head sometime early on Monday morning, and a passerby discovered his body in the Close Avenue parkette shortly before 8 a.m.
That location is south of the intersection of Jameson Avenue and King Street West.
Loukihart said she couldn't comment on whether drugs or a weapon were found on Dailey's body.
On Sunday evening, another individual was shot and slashed with a knife near Ryerson Avenue and Queen Street West, which is a block east of Bathurst Street.
"At this stage of the investigation, we can't say that he's tied into any of the other shootings that have occurred with any certainty," Loukihart said, adding that applied to the Ryerson Avenue shooting.
But she noted there had been a Parkdale shooting earlier in September. There have also been other recent shootings within 14 Division.
"We're trying to confirm his associates, but we are encountering some resistance," she said.
Loukihart said investigators can't say whether the homicide occurred as a result of a battle for control over the parkette as a drug-dealing venue -- which is a known drug-dealing point.
"Right now, we're working on the premise that it's the whole entire area," she said.
The detective noted that there was a large gap between when Dailey's murder occurred and when anyone contacted police.
"Mr. Dailey was shot and killed several hours before any call to police was made, even though we now know a number of people heard the gunshot," she said.
Police ask anyone with information to contact them at 416−808−7400, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416−222−TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, text TOR and a message to CRIMES (274637).
