Homicide unit investigating after person found dead on trail near UofT Scarborough campus

The University issued a critical alert, urging students and staff to seek shelter after police found an individual suffering from gunshot wounds.

Toronto police say they’re working to piece together exactly what happened, after a person was found deceased on a trail in the vicinity of the University of Toronto Scarborough (UTSC) campus on Tuesday afternoon.

Speaking with the media near Highland Creek Trail and Old Kingston Road on Tuesday night, Duty Insp. Jeff Allington said at about 3:30 p.m. today police received a call for an injured person lying on a pathway on the ground.

He would only say that the victim appears to be an adult and was found by a passerby who called 911.

“When officers arrived, they found a person with a gunshot wound. (They were) pronounced deceased at the scene,” Allington said.

No suspect information is available at this time and there is no indication that police are dealing with an active shooter situation, Allington said.

Paramedics, meanwhile, told CTV News Toronto that they attended that area but did not transport any patients to the hospital. They said they were originally called to 1295 Military Trail, near an overpass bridge in the area of Old Ring Road for reports of a possible fall but said they were then directed down to the current scene on north side of the bridge.

Shooting happened in a ‘wooded area’: UTSC

In a statement provided to CP24 on Tuesday evening, UTSC said the shooting occurred in a “wooded area” near the campus.

As a result, the university was placed under lockdown and shelter-in-place orders were issued, however they have since been lifted.

“The pathways into the Highland Creek Valley remain closed and individuals are advised to avoid the valley until further notice,” a UTSC spokesperson wrote in an email to CP24.

“Toronto Police have advised this is an isolated incident and there is no ongoing threat to the University of Toronto community.”

Investigation in ‘very early stages’

Allington said the homicide unit is handling this investigation, which is in its “very early stages.”

He noted that investigators are working out of 43 Division and should be able to share more details on Wednesday.

“Our immediate focus is on preserving evidence at the scene, determining what happened, and notifying this individual’s next of kin,” said Allington, adding that investigators also want to determine the deceased person’s last movements.

Adding that he appreciates that this fatal shooting has caused concern for those in the areas as well as at UTSC, Alington said at this point he has no information to suggest that there is any immediate risk to public safety or to anyone at the university.

“I’m asking anyone that has any information to come forward and provide it to police. I do not have any information to share with you in terms of a description for suspect or suspects, but as soon as I do, I will provide that to you,” he said.

Allington said police want to speak with anyone who was in the area of the Highland Creek Trail, which runs behind the U of T Scarborough campus, especially anyone who was there today or who regularly walks it. He’s also asking those individuals “keep an eye out for anything out of the ordinary” and contact police if they notice anything.

This investigation in ongoing and anyone with further information is asked to contact Toronto police at 416-808-4300 or Crime Stoppers anonymously.

With files from CP24’s Joshua Freeman and Beatrice Vaisman, and CTV News Toronto’s Beth Macdonell