Suspect urged to surrender to police after targeted TMU car attack
Ryan Petroff, 23, wanted for slew of charges including dangerous operation of motor vehicle causing bodily harm, assault with weapon
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Toronto Police have identified a 23-year-old man wanted in connection with Tuesday afternoon’s targeted car attack that injured four people on the pedestrian-only Nelson Mandela Walk at Toronto Metropolitan University’s campus.
Ryan Petroff is wanted on two counts each of dangerous operation of a motor vehicle causing bodily harm and failure to comply with probation and one count each of assault with a weapon, possession of property obtained by crime under $5,000, failure to remain at the scene of an accident and driving while under suspension.
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“Since this is an active investigation, I cannot comment on whether he is known to authorities,” said Toronto Police Insp. Errol Watson.
“I can’t speak to his criminal history, previous or otherwise.”
Watson also couldn’t speak to “whether or not Mr. Petroff had been in the shelter system previously as this is an active investigation.”
Watson, however, advised Petroff to seek legal counsel and turn himself in. He was allegedly last seen driving a green four-door Honda Accord with a stolen licence plate (DEDZ 565) and a broken front windshield after the 2 p.m. car attack.
“As we stated (Tuesday), we believe the vehicle was intentionally targeting a specific individual on the walkway,” said Watson.
“Individuals at the scene were (allegedly) able to identify Mr. Petroff as the suspect. To protect the identify of the victim, we are not commenting on the nature of the relationship between the suspect and the targeted individual nor can we speak to the motivations at this stage.”
On Tuesday, police said the targeted person was not injured and that none of the four people who were injured were TMU students or staff. Two of the injured didn’t require medical attention and the other two were hospitalized with serious but non-life-threatening injuries.
The victims were sitting on a bench on Nelson Mandela Walk when the suspect was allegedly operating a motor vehicle and drove it onto the pedestrian walkway toward where the victims were sitting.
The vehicle allegedly struck three people and caused an injury to a fourth person before the suspect fled in the vehicle.
Watson said they still weren’t sure if the vehicle, which has yet to be located, was also stolen.
“We believe (Petroff) is dangerous and we are urging the public not to approach him,” he said.
“If you see him, call police immediately. I will say that this event, based on the information that we received, was a targeted event, so I don’t believe there is any danger to the community at this time as a whole.”
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Watson confirmed a report that TMU was putting in extra planters on Nelson Mandela Walk to make it safer from such attacks.
“It’s understandable in an incident like this that people may be concerned as to what could happen in the future,” he said.
“We work very strongly with TMU and their management to making the place safer on a day-to-day basis. And we will continue to work with our partners at TMU to look at strategies that we can use to advance safety at that location.”
Anyone with information can contact police at 416-808-5100 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477 or 222tips.com.
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