Victim identified in ‘gruesome’ North York homicide investigation

Toronto police have identified the victim of a “gruesome” homicide that was reported in North York early Sunday morning.

Authorities say 32-year-old Erik Safar of Toronto was killed in what investigators describe as a “targeted” attack in the city’s west end.

Police were called to a residential building on Agate Road in the area of Keele Street and Wilson Avenue shortly after 6 a.m. for reports of unknown trouble.

It was alleged that there was a fight between a group of people in the area.

Detectives say Safar was assaulted and then struck by a driver in a vehicle who fled the scene.

While police have provided very few details as to what occurred at the building, residents in the area at the time tell CityNews that an altercation broke out between the victim and several suspects and that the victim was then beaten with a baseball bat and run over several times before they fled the scene.

One eyewitness tells CityNews he was awoken by the sound of a revving car and screams.

“I’m used to the revving, not used to the screaming,” said the man who did not want to be identified. “I went over [to the building] and what I saw was a gruesome scene. He was lying on his stomach, and his body looked like it had been crushed. I thought he might have fallen from the balcony or something. It was a gruesome scene.”

Police said despite life-saving measures, Safar was pronounced dead at the scene.

There were no immediate suspect descriptions, except that they fled in a light-coloured vehicle.

“We feel that this is localized and that there is no greater public risk at this time,” said Duty Insp. Scott Bradbury. “For the people responsible for this murder, find a lawyer and turn yourselves in.”

This is Toronto’s 14th Homicide of 2026.

With files from CityNews’ John Marchesan and Brandon Choghri.