'Suspicious' death investigation continues in Toronto's Roncesvalles area

Toronto police are continuing to investigate the death of a man in his 60s in the city’s west end, saying it is “suspicious.”

The incident happened on Tuesday in the area of Roncesvalles and Boustead avenues, just south of Dundas Street West. Officers were called to that area shortly after 9 a.m.

Police had said that there was an exchange between the victim and a man on a bike that resulted in an “altercation.” They added that officers are investigating if it was "targeted."

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On Wednesday, media officer Const. Laurie McCann said that while police are still in the early stages of their investigation, they can now say that the victim went for a walk early Tuesday morning in the area of Roncesvalles and Boustead and got into an altercation with the suspect.

This suspect was riding a black mountain bike and was throwing objects, she said in a written statement provided to CP24.

“The victim later returned to his residence, where he was taken to hospital via emergency run and was pronounced deceased,” McCann said.

Police said that the victim was found unconscious and with life-threatening injuries.

The case is being considered a suspicious death investigation until the victim’s cause of death is determined, McCann noted.

Toronto police are investigating after a cyclist died after an unknown object was allegedly thrown by a suspect in Toronto’s Roncesvalles area on Tuesday morning. (Kenneth Enlow/CP24)

CP24’s Beatrice Vaisman spent several hours at the scene today and learned that the victim lived nearby and that he was of Croatian descent.

The man, whose name has not been released or confirmed, had four or five children and was known by neighbours as a “family man.”

Several area residents also said that the victim worked as a contractor/drywaller.

Police remain in the area and have placed forensic evidence markers at several locations, including the driveway of a neighbouring house where a vehicle with a smashed back window is parked. A resident told CP24 that investigators also seized a large rock that they believe was used to smash the car’s window.

The suspect is still at large. He is described as a white male in his 40s and approximately five foot nine with brown hair, and was last seen wearing a black jacket and black pants, riding a standard black mountain bike.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact Toronto police or Crime Stoppers anonymously.

With files from CTV Toronto’s Hannah Alberga.