Woman fatally stabbed while unloading groceries in 'unprovoked' attack: Toronto police

A pistillate successful her 70s was fatally stabbed portion unloading groceries into her car successful North York connected Thursday in what constabulary accidental was an "unprovoked" attack. 

Toronto constabulary accidental officers recovered the pistillate with stab wounds aft they were called to the area of Parkway Forest Drive and Sheppard Avenue E. at astir 9:35 a.m.

"We bash recognize this is simply a precise profoundly concerning incident. It happened during the daytime hours successful a engaged plaza erstwhile galore patrons were retired simply conscionable shopping, getting their groceries," Duty Insp. Phil Sinclair told reporters Thursday afternoon.

The woman was rushed to infirmary but aboriginal pronounced dead, constabulary say.

Sinclair said the incident was an "unprovoked" attack, judging from surveillance video. He said the pistillate had travel from a supermarket successful the plaza. 

At the scene, a car was seen with its trunk unfastened and grounds markers each around near Iqbal Foods, the lone market store astatine the plaza.

Police say they don't cognize if determination was any relationship betwixt the unfortunate and the suspect.

Sinclair told reporters that police judge determination is no ongoing menace to the public. When asked however that's imaginable considering nary fishy has been located, helium said constabulary are taking the concern seriously.

"We bash promote you to beryllium alert of your surroundings. We are treating this probe with the utmost of seriousness," helium said. 

Some plaza-goers fearful

But immoderate residents are worried. 

Sruti Mohnty, who shops astatine the plaza weekly, says she was "freaked out" by the stabbing. Mohnty says she walks her two dogs with her ma each day.

"People are conscionable going astir their time and to deliberation that idiosyncratic tin conscionable travel and termination you here, it's a spot scary," she said.

"We should beryllium surviving successful a harmless country," she said. "It makes maine precise bittersweet to spot thing hap to anyone surviving successful the community."

Nasrat Sarwary's household doc is successful the plaza. He says he's frightened too.

"This country was very, precise harmless area. And radical are precise bully present too," helium said. " I'm wholly surprised."

Sarwary says it's particularly shocking that the stabbing happened during the time clip and successful a engaged plaza.

Coun. Shelley Carroll, who represents the Don Valley North ward wherever the incidental took place, said successful a post connected X, formerly Twitter, that community members should not hesitate to scope retired if they request support.

"I'm heartbroken to larn that a pistillate was killed extracurricular of Iqbal Foods this morning," she said. "This is simply a devastating and senseless enactment of violence, and my thoughts are with her family, friends and everyone successful the assemblage who has been shaken by this tragedy."

Male fishy fled country connected foot: police

Sinclair says a crisp limb was utilized successful the attack, perchance a knife.

Police are searching for a fishy who fled the scene, investigators said successful a societal media post.

He is described arsenic a male between five-foot-seven and five-foot-ten-inches tall, wearing each acheronian covering and a balaclava astatine the clip of the stabbing, constabulary say.

Anyone with accusation astir the incidental is being asked to interaction constabulary oregon Crime Stoppers.