Woman fatally stabbed in Cabbagetown

TORONTO, Ont. – A woman in her 50s has died after she was stabbed multiple times in a Cabbagetown laneway in what police fear was a random and unprovoked attack while walking home from work early Tuesday.

The victim was walking through an alleyway near Ontario Street when a man with a knife followed from behind. She was found in the laneway with multiple stab wounds to her arms and torso.

Const. Wendy Drummond told 680News that officers were called to Ontario Street, near Carlton and Parliament streets, shortly after 7 a.m.

“We had reports of a woman screaming,” she said. “Officers arrived on scene, located the woman suffering from obvious injuries.”

“She was taken to hospital, but pronounced dead at hospital and our homicide unit has been called in,” Const. Drummond said.

In surveillance video, a man is seen following a woman on the south side of Bleecker Street toward Ontario Street. The suspect attacked the victim in front of 510 Ontario St., police said.

The footage shows a woman holding an umbrella and walking, with a man following closely behind her. The man appears to reach into his coat before he walks out of view.

The victim was taken to a trauma centre, where she succumbed to her injuries.

Police described the suspect as a white man, approximately 5-foot-10, wearing dark clothing and a cap.

Police said several witnesses saw the stabbing. At least one witness intervened in an attempt to save the woman.

Investigators are interviewing witnesses and reviewing surveillance footage from nearby apartment buildings.

An autopsy is scheduled for Wednesday.

The identity of the victim has not been released.