Suspect in deadly Toronto banquet hall stabbing turns himself in to police

A Toronto police cruiser is seen in this file photo. (Simon Sheehan /CP24)

A suspect wanted in connection with a deadly stabbing at a Toronto banquet hall earlier this month has been arrested and charged after he surrendered to police on Wednesday.

Police were called to the venue near Highway 27 and Steeles Avenue West just after 9:30 p.m. on March 10 for a report of a shooting.

• Download our app to get local alerts on your device
• Get the latest local updates right to your inbox

When officers arrived on scene, they learned a victim had been stabbed during the altercation and travelled to a nearby hospital.

The victim was identified by police last week as 24-year-old Toronto resident Shacquan Harrison.

While police had previously said that 10 to 15 shots were fired at the banquet hall, no injuries related to the shooting were reported.

Shacquan Harrison, 24, was identified by police as the victim of a deadly stabbing at a Toronto banquet hall on March 10, 2023. (Toronto Police Service)

One suspect was arrested at the scene and a firearm was recovered, police said. Another victim also walked themselves to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries following the incident, police added.

A Canada-wide warrant was issued for the arrest of Omary Bent, 26, of Toronto -- who police described as “armed and dangerous” -- in connection with the shooting.

In a news release issued Wednesday evening, police said that Bent had turned himself in to police and was subsequently charged with second-degree murder.

Bent is scheduled to appear in a Toronto courtroom on Thursday.

Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact them at 416-808-7400 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477) or www.222tips.com.

Harrison is the city’s ninth homicide victim of 2023.