Police identify suspect in Friday’s shooting death in Oshawa

Durham Regional Police have confirmed the identity of the man killed in a shooting last Friday, and the man they suspect shot him.

Officers were called to Oshawa’s King Street and Central Park Boulevard area around 3:20 January 21. When officers arrived, they found a man in the road who had been shot, “suffering obvious signs of trauma,” per police.

Investigators are asking drivers to avoid the area of Central Park Blvd and King St E for an active police investigation. More details will follow shortly. There is another scene also at Athol St and Central Park Blvd. pic.twitter.com/caSCUcSPUC

— Durham Regional Police (@DRPS) January 21, 2022

Days later police identified the victim as Michael Ryan, 57, of Oshawa, a cab driver with Blue Line Taxi.

Media Officer A/Sgt George Tudos confirmed in a later press conference that Ryan was found without vital signs. Paramedics worked on Ryan for some time and took him to hospital where he was pronounced dead.

Police also found a suspect on scene, who they later identified as Daniel Pestill, 31 of No Fixed Address. Pestill is charged with Second Degree Murder.

Cristina Young, Ryan’s niece, has started a GoFundMe to support her cousins educations. “He was a proud father to my two cousins and always wanted the best life for them. They are both in university and striving to succeed in life and I don’t want this horrific incident to stop their education,” she explains.

The fundraiser has already collected over $24,000, almost half of its goal, over the weekend.

Anyone with information or dashcam footage of the incident can call Det. French at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 5421, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477)

Photo by Colin Williamson.