Barrie police have released photos of a suspect wanted in connection to a bombing that happened on Anne Street last September.
Investigators are trying to locate William Ivan Downey, 36, who is wanted for his alleged involvement in the early morning explosion. He is believed to be somewhere in the Greater Toronto Area, with a "strong belief" that he could be somewhere in Toronto, York Region or Durham Region.
Police say Downey may have changed his appearance by shaving his head.
He is described as five-foot-five tall and weighing 160 pounds with a slim build and a full beard.
"Given the nature of the pending charges, police are encouraging anyone who knows the whereabouts of William Ivan Downey to not approach him, but to call 911 immediately," police stated in a news release.
Anyone with information can contact the Barrie Police Service tip line at 705-725-7025, ext. 2160, or the lead investigator at [email protected].
Police have not said what the alleged motive could be and say further details will be provided only as the investigation permits.
Shortly before 3 a.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 27, 2023, at at 2:56 a.m., emergency crews responded to a reported explosion involving a parked motor vehicle at 108A Anne St., near the bridge over Highway 400 Barrie.
There were no injuries reported.
When officers arrived at the scene, they found the damaged vehicle that had been parked in an outdoor lot. Not far away they also found an undetonated improvised explosive device (IED) a nearby garden.
This ongoing investigation has been conducted by detectives from the Barrie Police Service Major Crime Unit, a suspect has been identified.
Several Barrie police units were assigned to the case, including tactical support, explosive disposal experts, criminal investigations and forensic identification.
On-scene assistance was also received from the Ontario Provincial Police canine unit and specialized services from the urban search and rescue unit, which provided expertise in post-explosion scene examination.
