A 19-year-old man found dead in the Scarborough Town Centre on Thursday was the victim of a homicide, Toronto police say.

In a news release Saturday, police identified the man as Daniel Amalathas, 19, of Toronto. 

Amalathas was found injured in a washroom of the mall just before 2 p.m. Thursday after police responded to a call about someone being shot, the news release says. 

At the time, police had said a firearm was located nearby.

Toronto paramedics pronounced Amalathas dead on the scene. He is the city’s 27th homicide victim of the year.

Initially, police said his death was suspicious but that homicide detectives hadn’t taken it over yet. But in Saturday’s release, police said his death has become a homicide investigation.

Police had taped off a small area of the food court after they arrived at the mall on Thursday, but expanded it later and then closed the food court. Police had told reporters that it was not an active shooter situation and as a result they did not lock down the mall.

Only one shot may have been fired 

On Thursday, police said there were no reports of gunshots. Toronto police acting inspector Baheer Sarvanandan told reporters that only one shot may have been fired and that might explain why no one reported hearing any gunfire.

“It doesn’t appear to be multiple shots, potentially a single shot,” he had said.

“This happened in a very confined space that no one knew,” Sarvanandan had added. “It’s a very busy mall and in that type of environment it’s hard to hear.”

In a statement on Thursday night, Coun. Michael Thompson, who represents Ward 21, Scarborough Centre, expressed “sadness and outrage” at the death and called on residents to expose anyone who is contributing to violence in Toronto.

“Please tell police any and everything you know about gangs, terror groups, violent business entities, goons, and anyone who would rain down terror on unsuspecting citizens going about daily life,” Thompson said.

“The non-tolerance of these violent acts must gather steam and become a torrent of criticism and a chorus of opposition and outrage. Anything less gives the impression that is somehow acceptable. It is not.”

Anyone with information is urged to come forward to police.