Toronto police say Toronto lawyer David Shellnutt, who was violently assaulted on New Year’s Day is recovering but that his two assailants are still on the loose.
In a press conference on Thursday morning, Det. Scott Allan said Shellnutt, who was in a coma until Jan. 14, was “walking and talking.”
Police released more surveillance video of the attack, including a clearer picture of what took place leading up to and during the incident, as well as more in-depth descriptions of the two male suspects and vehicle.
Allan said Shellnutt was walking along Queen Street West with a female companion on Jan. 1 at 12:30 a.m. when he got into an altercation with two men.
He said the men had been driving past Shellnutt in a newer model blue Dodge Charger, when they yelled a “lewd” remark at the woman.
In the surveillance video, it appears that Shellnutt proceeded to pick up a large garbage bag from the side of the road and throw it at the Charger as it drove away.
The two men then appear to get out of the vehicle and get into an altercation with Shellnutt.
Allan said one male suspect struck Shellnutt on the left side of his head, which caused him to go “rigid and fall backwards onto the concrete, striking his head” and becoming unconscious.
“The second male approached Shellnut and strikes him again on the left side of his face, driving his head back into the concrete again,” he said.
Both males then fled the scene on foot and got back into the same Charger with a third male occupant who was driving, Allan said.
Allan said the vehicle then drove off southbound on Bathurst Street and eventually made a left onto Adelaide Street.
VIDEO: Toronto police say a man was critically injured following an assault on Queen Street West near Bathurst Street
In a message posted on a GoFundMe page on Monday, the victim said he is walking now but still in pain.
“It is becoming clear that though I’m progressing well it will be a long road of recovery and rehabilitation,” Shellnutt wrote.
The vehicle is believed to be a B5 blue 2019 Dodge Charger SXT. Police cannot confirm the licence plate but said it was an Ontario one. They also said it could be a rental vehicle.
The first suspect is described as being between the ages of 25 to 35, six-foot-one, with a medium build, dark brown hair worn in corn rows and a pencil beard. At the time of the incident, he was wearing a grey coat over a black hooded top, black pants or jeans with tears on the front of the legs, white socks and black running shoes with blue soles.
The second suspect is described as being between the ages of 25 to 35, five-foot-nine, with a medium build, short dark brown receding hair, a goatee and a mustache. At the time, he was wearing eyeglasses, a black waist-length coat over a black hooded top, medium blue jeans with tears on the front of the legs and light/navy blue running shoes with white soles.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-1400 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477.
— With a file from Nick Westoll
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