TORONTO -- An ongoing dispute led to a shoving match that culminated in a hit-and-run outside a Mississauga condo, leaving Ronald "Pin Head" Persaud dead and an acquaintance charged with manslaughter, police said yesterday.
The young man charged with fatally running down 28-year-old Persaud arrived at the victim's Webb Dr. building near Square One mall with a beef Wednesday afternoon, Peel Regional Police homicide Insp. Norm English said.
The girlfriend of the accused lived in the same building as Persaud and while English said this was not a case of a love triangle, it appears she may have been involved in the "ongoing dispute" that led to Persaud's death.
It was about 5 p.m. when Persaud and the "acquaintance" got in a "pushing, shoving, wrestling" match outside Persaud's building. When the acquaintance got in his Acura SUV to leave, Persaud was run down, English said.
Shortly after the driver left the scene, police arrested 25-year-old Mohammad Al-Kassem. He was later charged with manslaughter.
"He had a lot of life to live," 21-year-old Rob Persaud said before taking a card table out of his brother's suite. "They say the good die young though, so hopefully he's in a better place now."
The Persaud brothers were born at St. Joseph's hospital in Toronto, but grew up in Mississauga. Despite their age gap, "me and him were quite close," Rob said. "We both played a lot of cards together."
With $1,600-a-month in condo payments, the elder Persaud was between jobs when he died, Rob said, adding his brother used to work in marketing.
A friend of Al-Kassem described the accused as "a very nice guy" who studied engineering in Ottawa before recently transferring to the University of Ontario Institute of Technology in Oshawa.
"He wouldn't do something like that if there was no reason," said the friend, identified only as David. "There must be a reason behind that."
Originally from Palestine, Al-Kassem's parents were flying in from United Arab Emirates after news of their son's arrest, David said.
The manslaughter charge implies police believe Al-Kassem "directly or indirectly" caused Persaud's death. "We certainly can't prove that he intended to murder him," English said.
Condolences poured into a Facebook group.
Said one woman: "Thanks for all your sympathies, but if you really cared about him, please call (to) inform the police of any history of problems with him and Mohammed or anything you know that could help."
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 905-453-2121 ext. 3205 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477, peelcrimestoppers.ca or by texting PEEL and your tip to CRIMES.
TAMARA.CHERRY@SUNMEDIA.CA
