(FWD) Savage attack on homeless man

Graeme Bacque (gbacque@idirect.com)
Tue, 06 Oct 1998 00:44:23 -0400 

---------forwarded message---------
Monday, October 5, 1998

Savage attack on homeless man

'Skull was crushed' with large knife or cleaver
By JONATHAN KINGSTONE, TORONTO SUN

   Doctors last night were trying to save the life
of a suspected homeless man attacked outside the
Queen Street Mental Health Centre.

Police said the man's skull was split open by an
assailant who swung at him with a large knife.
One of the man' s fingers was cut off and another
two partially severed when he lifted his hands to
defend himself, police said.

Police last night had no suspects in the attack
that happened around 5 p.m. in the park on the
grounds of the Queen Street Mental Health Centre
at Queen St. and Ossington Ave.

The man was "lying behind a tree when he was
approached and attacked," said a police sergeant
on the scene, adding the injuries suggest the
weapon was something the size of a meat cleaver or
a large hunting knife.

"The force of the blow was so severe his skull was
crushed from front to back," said the officer, who
didn't want his name used.

A transient found the injured man and alerted
officials at the mental health centre.

He underwent emergency surgery at St. Michael's
hospital, and doctors told police they couldn't
predict whether the man would survive.

Investigators have been unable to determine the
man's name. He carried no identification and staff
at the psychiatric unit did not recognize him,
police said.

Police said they don't have a suspect or a motive.
The park was empty by the time officers arrived,
and if anyone did witness the attack they fled,
police said.

Several hours later, police were still on scene.
A large area of the park was sealed off by yellow
tape while members of the forensic identification
unit scoured a park bench and a tall tree for
clues.

Copyright =A9 1998, Canoe Limited Partnership.
All rights reserved.


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