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The victim of a fatal stabbing in the city’s downtown core last night has been identified as a 39-year-old cancer researcher and adjunct professor at Ryerson University.
Mark Ernsting was out for his routine nightly walk when he was attacked about 9:30 p.m. Tuesday on McGill Street, just east of Yonge. Police arrested Calvin Michael Nimoh, 21, about an hour later at Yonge and Summerhill.
“There was no previous relationship between the accused and the deceased,” Toronto Police Det. Paul Worden told the network.
“The deceased was just out for his normal evening walk and happened to come across the accused and he was attacked.”
Ernsting worked for the Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR), where he was the project lead for a cancer treatment drug, according to his LinkedIn page.
He held a PhD from the University of Toronto, and did research in Ryerson’s engineering faculty.
Police are investigating whether Ernsting was the victim of a random robbery, according to Global News.
Ryerson’s interim president Mohamed Lachemi said the community was “deeply saddened by this senseless, tragic event” in an email to students, The Toronto Star reported.
“Those who knew and worked with Mark said he was a wonderful colleague and an excellent researcher,” Lachemi added.
The OICR tweeted news of Ernsting’s death Wednesday.
We are deeply saddened at the passing of Mark Ernsting – a talented researcher and terrific person. Our thoughts are with his loved ones.
— Ontario Institute for Cancer Research (OICR) (@OICR_news) December 16, 2015
Agencies/Canadajournal
