NEWS

Hate crime suspected in assaults reported on subway

Police released security camera images of a man yesterday after a spate of assaults suspected to be a hate crime.

The assaults occurred at Christie, Lansdowne and Wellesley subway stations on April 9 and 11.

In all three cases a man is alleged to have spit on another person, and in at least one case to have yelled racial slurs.

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Two of the victims were reported to be women.

Investigators say they believe the same man is responsible for all three alleged assaults.

The three incidents were reported as follows:

  • April 9 at about 8:45 a.m., a man spit on a person on the eastbound platform of Christie Station before fleeing the area.
  • April 11 at about 11 a.m., man spit on a woman at Lansdowne Station and yelled racial slurs at a woman. He also allegedly threatened a bystander who tried to intervene before he fled on an eastbound train.
  • April 11 at about 12:15 p.m., a man spit on a woman by spitting on a woman before fleeing the area.

An investigation was launched by officers of 11 Division. After they consulted with the police services’ hate crime unit, the assaults are being treated as a suspected hate-motivated crime.

The man being sought is described as 20–30 years old, 5-foot-7, and having with a slim build. He was wearing a black, hooded jacket with horizontal white stripes, a black toque and black shoes, and he was carrying a black backpack.

Images of the man have been released by police, in hopes he can be identified by someone who recognizes him.