Authorities have confirmed the identity of a teenager who died during a police pursuit Wednesday evening.
Friends say 18-year-old Junior Alexander Manon was trying to "work his way up to a better life."
Officials with the province's Special Investigations Unit confirmed Manon died at York Finch Hospital.
Manon attempted to flee on foot after police pulled over his vehicle during a routine traffic stop on Steeles Avenue West, at Founders Road, according to a news release put out by the SIU Thursday afternoon.
EMS officials told CTV News the man had no vital signs at the scene and was rushed to hospital. The cause of his death is being investigated.
An autopsy on the teen's body will be held Friday, said SIU spokesperson Jasbir Brar.
The cause of death won't be released until the end of the SIU investigation, which could take more than a month to complete.
A friend of the teen told ctvtoronto.ca Thursday that he was driving behind Manon when he saw police pull over the vehicle.
The friend said he kept driving but later received a call from a "panicked" passenger in Manon's car who said the teen got into a physical altercation.
The passenger was arrested at the scene but was able to call the friend to explain.
"We thought it was just like another day, that he would be arrested for stupid reasons, but I cannot believe that I will only see my brother once more, and that would be at his funeral," the friend said. "He didn't deserve it...no matter how many flaws he had in this world."
Brar told ctvtoronto.ca that she could not say whether the teen had any signs of physical injuries when he was brought to hospital.
"That's a fact we're trying to determine right now," she said. "We're appealing for witnesses and speaking to witnesses and officers who were on the scene. It's very early to speculate on any of that."
Manon, a former student of Westview Centennial School who was known as Tubz in the neighbourhood, did not have any known chronic medical problems, according to his friend.
His friend said that Manon was trying to "leave the neighbourhood to get a better life."
"It kills me inside to know that he didn't make it," the friend said.
Because of the SIU's involvement in the case, police are not permitted to discuss the case publicly.
The SIU is called in when someone is assaulted, injured or dies while in the presence of police.
TOMEEN ESTO EN CUENTAA POR ESO DESIMO FUCK POPO POR ABUSADORES
