Man charged with first-degree murder in Toronto mosque stabbing, police say

Toronto police say a man has been charged with first-degree murder in the death of a man who was stabbed outside a west-end mosque last week.

Insp. Hank Idsinga, head of the force’s homicide unit, says a 34-year-old man from Toronto has been charged with the murder after he was arrested this morning.

Mohamed-Aslim Zafis, 58, was seated outside the International Muslim Organization on Sept. 12 when police allege the suspect approached and fatally stabbed him before fleeing the scene.

Idsinga says there is no known motive or a relationship between the victim and the accused man, Guilherme (William) Von Neutegem.

He says it is too soon to exclude Von Neutegem from the investigation into another stabbing death that occurred in the city five days earlier.

However, Idsinga says it is also too soon to refer to the arrested man as a suspect in the killing of Rampreet (Peter) Singh.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18., 2020.

The Canadian Press