Man, 21, dead in ‘targeted’ shooting outside Lester B. Pearson Collegiate

Toronto police say a 21-year-old business school student was “blitzed” by an assailant who fatally shot him late Sunday night in the Malvern area.

Emergency crews were called to the scene on the property of the school, near Neilson Road and Sheppard Avenue East, just before midnight on Sunday night.

Police found the man suffering from multiple gunshot wounds. Paramedics pronounced him dead at the scene.

He has since been identified as Venojan Suthesan.

Det. Andy Singh with Toronto police homicide said Suthesan was not previously known to police.

Singh said there was a very short interaction before Suthesan was shot and he may have been targeted.

Singh says Suthesan had returned home from work at about 11 p.m., left again a half-hour later and it’s believed the suspect was waiting for him in a schoolyard.

“The way the scene reads right now, it seems very targeted,” he said late Monday afternoon.

The suspect is described as a dark skinned male, 5 foot 10 inches with an average build, wearing a light hoodie and khaki pants. He was last seen running down Washburn Way.

Investigators are also looking for a dark-coloured vehicle that was seen circling the area about 45 minutes before the shooting and believe it is tied to the suspect.

“Forty minutes prior, the vehicle was circling the area and, as a result of that, is what makes us believe that the suspects … were waiting,” Singh said.

Singh said officers are canvassing the area looking for security video that may help in the investigation, and as also hoping to speak with anyone who may have witnessed the shooting.

“Although this was late at night we do believe there’s a thoroughfare here of vehicle traffic … there’s two bus stops here as well,” Singh said.

Police said Lester B. Pearson Collegiate and Dr Marion Hilliard Senior Public School, which are attached, will be closed on Monday as the investigation continues.

According to the Toronto District School Board, classes at Lester B Pearson CI are being relocated to Albert Campbell CI, while classes at Dr Marion Hilliard SPS are being relocated to Berner Trail JPS.

However, the TDSB said classes for students who are bused to Lester B Pearson for special education programs are cancelled for today and are not being relocated.

With files from The Canadian Press

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