NEWS

Death of Leaside man ‘misadventure’: police

Police say a 63-year-old Leaside man who died from a self-inflicted stab wound shortly after midnight on Feb. 26 was a victim of “misadventure.”

“The man died by misadventure,” police said in a release the next day.

Early reports suggested the incident occurred as Craig Scott Silver was taking out his recycling, but neighbours say that wasn’t the case.

He was found outside the entrance to the underground parking garage. An emptied recycling container sat in front of his home at noon.

Const. Victor Kwong said the incident occurred shortly after midnight outside the man’s home on Thomas Elgie Drive, near Eglinton Avenue East and Brentcliffe Road. Police said he was cut by a knife and there was no criminal aspect.

“We believe the stab wound was not a result of someone else and it was not intentional,” Kwong said.

Police performed CPR on Silver at the scene.

A spokesperson for Toronto Paramedic Services said they responded to the scene, where they found the man to be suffering a puncture wound to his leg.

He was taken to a local trauma centre where he later died.

A large pool of blood marked the entrance to the underground parking garage, with a trail of blood leading to the sidewalk. Just after noon, neighbours who knew the man could still be seen dropping off flowers, and many stood around comforting each other.

Most would not speak to news media and none would identify him.

“I really don’t want to talk about it,” said one man, who was later identified as a friend who had come by to take Silver’s pet bulldog.

Neighbour Adrienne Czinkoczi said she often ran into the man when they were out walking their dogs. They lived across the street from each other, and would sometimes wave through their front windows.

“He was such a nice man,” she said.

By early afternoon, the police tape was down.