Man violently assaulted before being fatally struck by car in downtown Toronto

A man who was found dead on the roadway in Toronto’s Moss Park neighbourhood earlier this week was viciously attacked prior to being struck by a vehicle.

Police say first responders were called to Sherbourne Street just north of Queen Street East around 10:50 p.m. Tuesday night following reports a pedestrian had been struck by a vehicle.

When police arrived, they found a man lying in the middle of Sherbourne Street, where he was pronounced dead. He has since been identified as 54-year-old Douglas James MacDonald.

Investigators from the homicide unit determined MacDonald was physically attacked by another man on the west side of Sherbourne Street. As MacDonald attempted to flee his attacker, he stumbled and fell onto the roadway, where the attack continued.

Police say seconds later, a car travelling northbound on Sherbourne Street struck MacDonald as he lay on the roadway.

“It was a violent attack, it appeared to be very one-sided with Mr. MacDonald simply defending himself throughout,” said Det. Sgt. Brandon Price.

Price said the suspect fled north on Sherbourne on a bicycle. He’s described as a Black male with short to mid-length black hair worn in dreadlocks or twists and of average build.

He was last seen wearing a black short-sleeved shirt, a green hoodie with a light-coloured camouflage pattern on the hood portion, black jeans with small tears on the front of both legs and black shoes.

Police are also interested in speaking with the driver of a white, four-door sedan which struck MacDonald as he lay in the middle of the road. Investigators say this person is considered a witness and are encouraging them to come forward and contact police.

“At this point that driver is a witness to this event, they are involved in this event, but ultimately I don’t believe there is criminal culpability,” Price reiterated. “They may in fact not perceived that they had struck a person and that’s a possibility.”