TORONTO – A man who went missing from a psychiatric teaching hospital in Toronto two weeks ago has fled the country, police said on Tuesday.
A day earlier, police issued a release saying 47-year-old Zhebin Cong had been missing since July 3, and was last seen in the city’s west, around Queen Street and Ossington Avenue, at about 4:00 p.m. that day.
Cong was previously charged with first-degree murder, but was found not criminally responsible for the stabbing death of 56-year-old San Tai Yuan in September, 2014. At the time, police described the crime scene as one of the most gruesome they had ever seen.
“On July 3, 2019, the Toronto Police Service were informed of a missing person and opened an investigation regarding Zhebin Cong,” police said in a statement to 680 NEWS. “The Toronto Police Service has now confirmed that Zhebin Cong has fled the country. He boarded an international flight on the same day he was reported missing. We are working with international law enforcement agencies on next steps. This is an ongoing investigation.”
The Centre for Addiction and Mental Health says it takes public safety very seriously and that patients are only allowed to engage with the community if they have met several set conditions.
A full report from Toronto police is expected in the coming days.
Gloss