Toronto’s 88th murder victim has been identified as 57-year-old Edward “Ted” Sharron and Global News has learned that the suspect in the killing was out on bail awaiting trial for a previous assault.
Sharron died on Sunday from injuries suffered from a violent robbery. Sharron was attacked on Oct. 12 at around 6:15 pm while he was standing on Dundas Street near Church Street by a stranger who approached and punched him.
Toronto police said Sharron fell to the ground and hit his head. The suspect then proceeded to rob him.
A gas attendant at a nearby Esso station told Global News that one of his co-workers saw a man lying on the ground on Dundas Street that night and called 911.
Nine days later, after Sharron’s condition deteriorated, police said he died of his injuries.
Investigators have charged 34-year-old Jason Hadfield with aggravated assault and robbery in relation to the unprovoked attack and detectives said charges are expected to be upgraded.
Global News learned that just over two weeks earlier, the accused was charged in relation to another violent assault just blocks away, and was released from jail on $250.
Court documents obtained exclusively by Global News found that Hadfield was charged with assault with a weapon, namely a bottle, assault threaten to use a weapon, namely a paving stone, and assault on Sept. 27.
In that case, Hadfield was released with conditions that he stay away from Yonge Dundas Square where the alleged assault happened, not to be in the area of Gould Street to the North, Yonge Street to the West, Dundas Street to the South and Victoria Street to the east. Other conditions included staying away from the alleged victim and not to possess any weapons.
The attack on Sharron happened just four short blocks east of the attack at Yonge Dundas Square, or roughly 200 metres.
Hadfield remains in custody and will be back in court on Nov. 30.