Toronto Police Identify Victim in Fatal East End Stabbing as Search for Suspect Intensifies

TORONTO, ON — A tragic late-night altercation in Toronto’s east end has left a neighborhood in mourning and police in a race against time. Authorities have now identified the victim of the fatal stabbing that occurred on Tuesday, June 17, as Ashkan Pournasir-Roudbane, a Toronto resident whose life was cut short in a senseless act of violence. The 2025 homicide tally in the city has now reached 16.

The incident unfolded around 11:00 p.m. in a laneway behind a shopping plaza near Danforth and Hillingdon Avenues, located just east of Coxwell Avenue. Toronto Police say they received reports of a confrontation between two men in the secluded area. Upon arrival, officers discovered Pournasir-Roudbane suffering from serious stab wounds.

Despite immediate efforts by emergency personnel, the victim succumbed to his injuries at the scene. Police have not released details about the nature of the argument or whether the individuals knew each other.

Investigators are urging anyone with information or surveillance footage from the vicinity to come forward, emphasizing the urgency of locating the suspect. The Toronto Police Service has yet to release a suspect description but confirmed that the homicide unit is actively leading the investigation.

“This is a deeply disturbing event that has understandably rattled the community,” said a spokesperson from TPS. “We are committed to finding the individual responsible and ensuring justice is served.”

The area, typically quiet and family-oriented, has been shaken by the incident. Local residents left flowers at the edge of the laneway Wednesday morning, and neighbors expressed their sadness and shock over the loss.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Toronto Police Homicide Unit or anonymously reach out to Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS (8477).

As the investigation intensifies, the memory of Ashkan Pournasir-Roudbane lives on in the hearts of his loved ones, who now face the unimaginable grief of losing a family member to violence.