Man dies of stab wounds after attack
[attach]6846[/attach]Toronto’s 10th homicide of the year claimed the life of a 20-year-old man, who reportedly laid in his mother’s arms as he was dying.
In a news release, police said the victim, Michael Cocomello, also known as Michael Mandino, was found suffering from obvious stab wounds on Nairn Avenue just south of Eglinton Avenue W. on Mar. 4 at around 9:18 p.m. Cocomello was rushed to hospital where he underwent surgery, but succumbed to the injuries hours later.
Police said the motive is not yet known, however they do believe it was targeted and that he was lured from his home. It was also reported that the stabbing occurred one block south at Nairn and Thornton Avenue, before Cocomello managed to get back outside of his apartment, where he yelled for his mother, who then held him until an ambulance arrived. There have not been any suspect descriptions released.
Woman sexually assaulted on TTC
Police are looking for a suspect after a woman was followed and sexually assaulted on the TTC.
In a news release, police said an 18-year-old woman was at Yonge and Bloor station, walking down the stairs to the westbound platform on March 6, when a man grabbed her from behind and sexually assaulted her. Police allege the man then followed the woman on to the subway and at Bathurst station, he exposed himself.
Police describe the man as white, in his late 20s to early 30s, about 5’6” tall with a medium or large build, scruffy beard, round face, and short reddish hair in waves or curls. At the time, the man was wearing a waist-length dark winter jacket, grey jogging pants with elastics around the legs and a red and orange backpack.
Secret shopper scam busted
An investigation into a secret shopper scam has led police in 13 Division to arrest and charge a 25-year-old Brampton woman.
In a news release, police said the woman was involved in running a sophisticated scam, wherein unsuspecting victims were recruited for gainful purposes as secret shoppers. A victim would be hired, then sent cheques to cash in their own account along with instructions to use a portion of the money to shop at various businesses while also grading the service at those businesses. One of the last businesses to be graded would be a cheque-cashing company, where the victim would have to send a wire transfer involving a large portion of the money initially received from the accused. The victim would discover later on that the cheques given to them by the accused were fraudulent. Police allege the cheques were drawn on the account of “Oakwood Canada” and that the scam was operating under the known business names of Secret Shopper, Global Business Modifications, GBM Inc, and Stellar Business Solutions.
On March 6, the accused was arrested and now faces 47 charges, including 22 counts of uttering forged documents and 19 counts of counselling to commit an indictable offence.
Charged is Shannon Green. Police say the investigation is continuing.
Cops appeal for new info in TTC collector shooting
Police have reissued an appeal for information into the shooting and robbery attempt of a TTC collector one year ago.
In a news release, police reminded the public that the shooting occurred on Feb. 26 last year at Dupont subway station, when a suspect approached the collector’s booth. Several shots were fired at the booth, hitting the neck and shoulder of the collector, who was taken to hospital to be treated for non-life-threatening injuries.
The suspect fled the scene empty handed. Investigators believe it was the same suspect who had committed similar robberies at the same booth on June 11 and Oct. 2 of 2011. The suspect, who could be either male or female, is described as white, age 35 to 40 and with a stocky build.
