A long-time activist and father has been identified by friends as the man who died after he reportedly set himself on fire, then was Tasered by Toronto police Tuesday morning.

In a Facebook post on Wednesday, activist organization Occupy Canada announced the death of the group’s founder, Derek Soberal, a father of two young boys who was known for his long-time involvement in the city’s activist circles and for making a documentary about Toronto’s G20 summit.

“Right now we are all in shock, as you might well imagine,” said the post published to the Facebook group Wednesday.

Ontario’s police watchdog, the Special Investigations Unit, is probing the incident that police say began with a call about a man who had set himself on fire near Dundas Street East and Church Street around 8:45 a.m. Tuesday.

The SIU has not released the man’s name, but several friends who spoke to the Star confirmed it was Soberal.

According to a source with knowledge of the incident who was not authorized to speak publicly, Soberal set himself on fire near a gas station, then entered, prompting someone inside to douse the flames using a fire extinguisher.

The man then ran away toward a nearby convenience store on Jarvis Street and began stabbing himself with a knife, the source said. Police officers at the scene then Tasered him. He was transported by ambulance to hospital, but later died.

A video posted to Youtube on Wednesday appears to show the incident as seen from a nearby balcony. In it, a man partially on fire can be seen walking in front of the gas station with his arms outstretched. He then walks back toward the gas station. Sirens can be heard in the distance, then two police cars arrive.

As news of Soberal’s death has spread, distraught friends expressed shock at his sudden death.

In an article published on the left-leaning publication Counterpunch Thursday, friend and Toronto street pastor Doug Johnson Hatlem grappled with why Soberal would “self-immolate” — an act Soberal knew to be “thoroughly political.”

Johnson said he believed Soberal may have been “pushed over the edge by recent events” around the COVID-19 pandemic. According to Johnson, Soberal recorded a 20-minute live Facebook video prior to his death that suggested he had “lost touch with reality.”

“There is, however, a deeper reality that remains consistent over ten years and more of Derek’s life,” Johnson Hatlem wrote. “He loved Canada and expected beyond all expectation that it would live up to its ideals of freedom and respect for human rights for all.”

Friend Jeremy Campbell said he believed Soberal’s “unfortunate ending was more of a political act” to draw attention to the dire need to “correct the wrongs of society.”

Campbell first met Soberal during Toronto’s 2010 G20 summit, which saw the largest mass arrest in Canadian history, Campbell said.

“He was a very active activist. He was not an arm-chair activist. When he saw a wrong in society, he would get involved to try to help right that wrong,” Campbell said.

The two had lost touch in recent years, but Campbell was relieved to see Soberal find a partner and start a family — he had two young boys.

“I liked seeing him so happy,” he said. “I just thought he found some new areas to devote his energy and passion towards.”

As news of Soberal’s death spread Wednesday, mourners shared their grief online, including members of the Occupy Canada Facebook group, which has nearly 100,000 members.

“Derek had a heart 10 times too big for his massive chest and maintained the ethics to match it,” read the post announcing Soberal’s death.

“I first met Derek at a rally and I’ll never forget walking with him leading a crowd of hundreds of people and him casually telling me that all it takes is a microphone to raise the voices of those unheard,” wrote Facebook user Charles Simpson.

“Absolute legend. I am completely taken aback by this, especially at this time,” he said.

Friend Karyn Greenwood-Graham met Soberal through activism circles, including the group she founded for relatives of people killed in police interactions, Affected Families of Police Homicide. She described Soberal as a supporter of human rights who was “passionate” about righting wrongs.

“He supported everybody’s human rights. He was so passionate about how the wrong things in the world needed to be righted,” she said in an interview Wednesday. “He was just amazing.”

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“He was feeling the pains of the world, he was feeling that so deeply. He always hugged you so tight, he was such a warm person, truly a caring person,” she said.

Early Tuesday morning, Soberal posted a photo on his Facebook page of himself, his partner Savannah and his two young sons.

If you are considering suicide, there is help. Find a list of local crisis centres at the Canadian Association for Suicide Prevention. Or call 911 or in Ontario call Telehealth at 1-866-797-0000