As Toronto police continue their search for two missing men from the city鈥檚 LGBTQ community, family members and friends attended a town hall meeting Tuesday night to discuss the troubling disappearances.
Andrew Kinsman, 49, was last seen on June 26, after attending Pride celebrations in the city. Selim Esen, 44, disappeared on April 14.
鈥淭he disappearance of both men is considered suspicious,鈥� police said in a 鈥淚t is out of character for both, as is the absence of communication with people they were habitually in contact with.鈥�
Police said that both men were familiar with Toronto鈥檚 Church Street and Wellesley Street area, known as the gay village. Investigators said there鈥檚 been some suggestion that Kinsman and Esen鈥檚 disappearances are somehow connected to the cases of three other men who went missing from the Church and Wellesley area between 2010 and 2012. So far, police say, no link has been established between the older and more recent disappearances, but all possibilities are being considered.
Kinsman鈥檚 friends and family said he had deep roots in the community and it was not like him to simply take off without telling anyone.
鈥淚 never thought that it would ever happen to our brother,鈥� one of his sisters, Karen Coles, told CTV Toronto before Tuesday鈥檚 meeting. 鈥淵ou hear about people who go missing, but you never think it鈥檚 going to affect you.鈥�
Kinsman鈥檚 other sister, Patricia Kinsman, said his disappearance has taken a toll on the family.
鈥淲e go to bed thinking about Andrew, we wake up thinking about Andrew. It鈥檚 all day, it鈥檚 life-consuming,鈥� she said.
Police have put together a task force to investigate the missing person cases. Although they鈥檝e received numerous tips, they haven鈥檛 produced any major leads yet.
鈥淲e鈥檙e not tying anything, we鈥檙e simply going by where the evidence leads us,鈥� Supt. Tony Riviere said Tuesday.
鈥淎nd as it stands right now, all the evidence does not substantiate any criminality. That doesn鈥檛 mean everything is not on the table. It is.鈥�
Kinsman is described as 6鈥�4鈥�, 220 pounds, with brown hair and a full beard. He has the word 鈥淨ueer鈥� tattooed on his right arm.
Esen is described as 5鈥�10鈥�, 150 pounds, with brown eyes, brown hair and a full beard. Police say he was often in possession of a silver suitcase with wheels.
Anyone with information about the missing men is asked to contact police at 416-808-5100, or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477) or online at .
With a report from CTV Toronto鈥檚 Sean Leathong
