Homicide detectives have taken over the investigation after a teenage male was killed after being "intentionally struck" by an SUV in East York early Monday morning.

Emergency crews were called to the area of Cedarvale and Bracebridge avenues, in the Woodbine Avenue and O'Connor Drive area, around 2:15 a.m.

Paramedics transported the victim to hospital with life-threatening injuries, and he was pronounced dead.

Det. Leslie Dunkley of the Toronto police homicide squad said the victim was "approximately" 16 years of age.

Toronto police released an image of the suspect vehicle Monday evening, which has been described as a dark-coloured SUV with damage to its front. (Toronto Police Service )

According to Dunkley, the investigation shows that the victim was "intentionally struck" by the SUV.

In a news release later Monday, police said they are searching for two suspects, both believed to be white men between the ages of 20 and 35.

"We know there was an interaction between our victim and the occupants of the suspect motor vehicle."

Witnesses have told investigators that the SUV was following the victim, there was an interaction between him and the two people in the vehicle before the driver turned around and went straight at the teen.

The driver of the vehicle fled the scene after colliding with the young man.

Det. Leslie Dunkley said officers were canvassing the area and speaking to potential witnesses. (Grant Linton/CBC)

The SUV was last seen headed northbound on Woodbine Avenue, Dunkley said.

Goldie Rumdin, who lives nearby, said he was outside taking his dog for a quick walk around the time of the incident.

As he was walking, he said two people drove down the street in a black truck, then stopped beside him.

"The passenger asked me if I [saw] a young boy running around in the area," Rumdin told reporters Monday.

Goldie Rumdin said he was out walking his dog early Monday morning when a truck with two people in it stopped to ask him questions. (Grant Linton/CBC)

"I said no."

Rumdin says he spoke to officers this morning after learning that someone had died.

"What goes through my mind?" he said. "It's not fair, he's a young man."

'It's scary'

Officers were knocking on doors in the residential neighbourhood on Monday, looking for additional witnesses and any surveillance video of the incident.

Meanwhile, other residents say they feel apprehensive about the incident happening so close to their homes.

"It's scary because I'm trying to raise my family in this neighbourhood," said Treena Hilchie, who added she had to walk her daughter past the taped-off area to get to school.

"Now she's in the classroom and she's scared."

Treena Hilchie said she had to explain to her young daughter why there were officers in their neighborhood Monday morning. She says her daughter was 'scared' as they walked by the incident on the way to school. (Grant Linton/CBC)

Kang-Mei Wang, who also lives nearby, said she has never heard of any incident like this so close to her home, until now.

"We've been here almost 20 years and nothing ever happened like this," she said.

Anyone with information is asked to call police.