Police have made an arrest just days after a Greater Toronto Area man was murdered outside a Scarborough restaurant.
On May 7 at around 3 a.m., Toronto Police received a radio call for a shooting in the rear parking lot at 1154 Morningside Ave. just south of Sheppard Ave.
When officers arrived on scene, the found a male suffering from a gunshot wound and immediately began to provide lifesaving measures before paramedics showed up.
At a news conference outside police headquarters on May 11, Detective Sergeant Tiffany Castell of the Homicide & Missing Persons Unit said another male approached police saying he was also shot.
Both victims were transported to hospital where the first male who was shot, Peter Khan, 36, of Ajax, was pronounced deceased.
The second victim was released from hospital.
“As our investigation unfolded, we determined that a lone suspect attended the rear of 1154 Morningside Ave. at around 2.58 a.m.,” said Castell. “About a minute to a minute and a half later, that individual walked up to Mr. Khan who was wearing a chain around his neck. He ripped off the chain at gunpoint and shot him. The suspect then casually walked away and, about 100 metres away in the parking lot, found another victim who had a chain around his neck, and ripped it away from him at gunpoint.”
The suspect fled the scene in a White Nissan Altima.
“Once he drove away, we determined through our investigation that there had been earlier that night a robbery in the area of Kennedy Rd. & Ellesmere Rd. in 41 Division,” said Castell. “When we compared the suspect vehicle as well as the suspect from our Homicide to the images of the suspect vehicle and the robbery in 41 Division that happened at 1.15 a.m. that morning, we believe that is the same person.”
On Sunday May 8 at about 4 p.m., a 41 Division Community Response Unit member located the suspect vehicle in a parking lot at Kennedy Rd. and Ellesmere Rd. a few metres from where the first robbery occurred.
“We moved quickly to seize the suspect vehicle and while we were on scene doing that, the suspect returned to the vehicle and attempted to get into it,” Castell said.
As officers attempted to stop him, he ran away and was caught after a 15-minute foot pursuit.
At the time of the arrest, Johvan Waldron, 27, of Toronto was charged with robbery. He was charged with First-Degree murder on May 10.
With about a 105-minute gap between the robberies at two different locations, police are appealing to anyone who may have been the victim of a robbery in that time span or may have seen someone who was wearing the same clothing or driving that same vehicle to contact 41 Division at (416) 808-4100 or the Homicide & Missing Persons Unit at (416) 808-7400. The public can also submit an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or www.222tips.com
“We are also asking for any other dashcam or video footage or any other information you may have to please come forward,” added Castell. “This was senseless act of violence where Mr. Khan lost his life and people were robbed and victimized in our city. I am very grateful to the members of the public who co-operated with us. This really highlights the best of what could happen when police and the community work together. We have been able to bring a tragic circumstance to a successful conclusion.”
