Toronto police are seeking the public’s assistance in identifying a suspect following an alleged hate-motivated assault near the city’s waterfront.
According to the Toronto Police Service, officers responded to a report involving a person with a knife in the Queens Quay West and Lower Spadina Avenue area on Saturday, August 29.
Investigators allege that the suspect approached a man and a witness without provocation, made anti-Sikh remarks and racial slurs, and then attacked the victim with a weapon. The man was stabbed in the leg and sustained injuries described as non-life-threatening.
Police describe the suspect as a man approximately five feet six inches tall with black hair. He was reportedly wearing a navy-blue short-sleeved jersey displaying the NFL “Sunday Ticket” logo, blue jeans and grey-and-black running shoes. Police have released his image.
The Hate Crime Unit is leading the investigation. Anyone with information is asked to contact Toronto police at 416-808-3505 or provide an anonymous tip through Crime Stoppers.
No arrest has been announced, and the allegations have not been tested in court. Police classify the case as a suspected hate-motivated offence; a court would ultimately determine whether hate should be considered an aggravating factor following any conviction.
