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London police identify 27-year-old man as victim in Richmond Row homicide probe

Police have identified the victim as Dereck Szaflarski, 27, of London.
Police have identified the victim as Dereck Szaflarski, 27, of London. Facebook

London police released new details Sunday about a male suspect being sought in connection to an early morning homicide on Richmond Row that left a 27-year-old man dead.

Officers were called to the scene of Richmond Street and Piccadilly Street around 2:30 a.m. Saturday for reports of an altercation.

According to the investigation, the victim and another male became involved in a physical altercation near the corner of the intersection.

During the altercation, police say the victim sustained serious injuries and later died in hospital. An unspecified weapon has not been recovered, police said. Pools of blood could be seen on the sidewalk at the southeast corner of the intersection. A store window on the southwest corner of the intersection was shattered during the incident, however, it’s not yet clear how the damage occurred.

Early Saturday evening, police identified the victim as Dereck Szaflarski, 27, of London, and released surveillance camera images showing a vehicle police say was involved in the incident, and a male police wished to speak with.

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Szaflarski worked as a certified personal trainer at GoodLife Fitness, a job he began in February, according to his Facebook profile. He had been out with friends Friday night in celebration of his 27th birthday.

Surveillance camera images released by police showing a male investigators wish to speak with, and the vehicle involved. London Police Service

Early Sunday afternoon, police issued another update, this time describing the wanted suspect in greater detail.

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Police have described the suspect as a male with a brown or light-skinned black complexion, standing six-foot or taller, heavy build, with possible facial hair. He was wearing blue jeans, a dark T-shirt, black running shoes with white soles, and a camouflage-coloured Toronto Blue Jays cap, police said.

The suspect fled the scene in a white two-door vehicle, possibly a Nissan Altima, with a sunroof and tinted windows. The vehicle had at least one passenger, police said.

Heavy police activity at the intersection of Richmond and Piccadilly as police investigate an early morning homicide, May 26, 2018. Drew Gray
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A makeshift memorial has been set up at the intersection, and friends of the 27-year-old have set up a Gofundme to help his family and plan a funeral.

Anyone with information in relation to this incident is asked to call the London Police Service at (519) 661-5670 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). Information can also be sent in online anonymously here.

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