Justice for Darcy Allan Sheppard!

Cyclists shut down Bloor

Fellow cyclists and bike couriers blocked off a busy street in Yorkville during yesterday's afternoon rush-hour, demanding justice for Darcy Allan Sheppard, the 33-year-old man killed during a run-in with Ontario's former attorney general.


With their bikes strewn across Bloor St. just east of Avenue Rd. for an hour, those who knew and loved Sheppard shouted "Murderer!" over the honking horns of frustrated motorists who suddenly found themselves stuck in a traffic jam.

"This is the spot where our brother fell," shouted one man, who didn't give his name, as he pointed to a spot on the side of the road where the pavement was still darkened from his fellow bike courier's blood.

Toronto Police say Sheppard was involved in an incident with Michael Bryant, who was driving his convertible shortly before 10 p.m. several blocks east of Avenue.

The bike courier, who wasn't working at the time, became angry and ran around to the driver's side of the car and lunged at Bryant, Toronto Police said.

Sheppard was hanging on to the car when he was knocked off, suffering fatal injuries.

"He was a good friend of mine," said one protester named Al, who often participated in long-distance rides with Sheppard and would only give his first name.

"He was the happiest person I've ever met," he said, with tears streaming down his face. "He embraced life every step of the way."

Misty Lee Bailey, Sheppard's longtime girlfriend, was at the protest and was comforted by those who knew her boyfriend as she wept.

She was too emotional to talk about her loss at the time, but earlier in the day she spoke to the Sun via Facebook.

Sheppard was at her place Monday until after 9 p.m. and that he was frustrated when he left but he wasn't behaving any differently than he usually did, Bailey wrote

"We all have our demons to deal with and I'm not saying anything was out of place ... He was angry at the world, at everything," she wrote.

"He loved to make people laugh," Bailey wrote of Sheppard, who was originally from Edmonton but had been working as a courier in Toronto for many years. "I loved him and we loved each other for a very long time ... I love him with all my heart."

CHRIS.DOUCETTE@SUNMEDIA.CA