After 47-year-old Gerald Dumas was set on fire, his family and neighbours are angry and scared.
Family members identified Dumas as the victim who was set on fire in a back lane near Selkirk Avenue and Andrews street. Police have not confirmed the identity of the victim.
Police have also not confirmed how the fire was started, or if there was an accelerant used. However, they have a 19-year-old suspect in custody and say charges against him are likely.
Police spokesperson Natalie Aitken says officers do not know what the motive for the alleged attack was, but it's believed to be robbery.
"It's an unbelievable event really and truly. These types of things don't happen very often in our city," Aitken says.
Dumas' family members say he was on his way to buy beer on Friday night around 11:30 p.m. and never returned. As of Saturday evening, he is in hospital in critical condition.
Police arrived quickly, when Dumas was still in flames, and they put out the fire with an extinguisher.
At a press conference, Aitken mentioned the possibility that the officers involved could be placed on administrative leave to deal with the trauma.
One young man, who saw some of what happened, says it's made him afraid to leave his home at night.
"I don't want to get burned or shot or stabbed," he says.
Dumas's aunt, Joyce Splicuk, says she's angry.
She loves her nephew, and describes him as "a gentle giant."
"He was a nice looking man and when I go see him, he's probably going to be disfigured," she says.
Splicuk says she's angry at whoever burned her nephew. Her family has seen more than its fair share of tragedy.
Dumas' nephew, Matthew Dumas, was killed by police in 2005.
A year later, Matthew's cousin Leon Dumas was shot.
- with a report from CTV's Stacey Ashley
