The Toronto Police Service (TPS) is asking for the public’s help in identifying a man who allegedly attacked a passenger on a bus and put him in a chokehold without provocation.
Police say the suspect was sitting by the back exit doors, but as the bus came to a stop at Kennedy Road, the suspect attacked the victim, putting him in a chokehold and causing injuries. The attack was unprovoked, according to TPS.
Public safety has been a key topic in the election for Toronto’s new mayor, set to take place on June 26. A number of mayoral candidates have made pledges to put more police and transit officers on the TTC after a string of random and violent attacks in the last year.
In late January, police announced that more than 80 officers would work overtime shifts at various TTC locations following a series of violent incidents on the system, including stabbings, BB gun shootings, and an alleged swarming. The transit commission and city also said it would add 50 contract security guards and 20 outreach workers as an interim response.
Teenage Boys Charged in Stabbing Incident
The violence has continued, however, with the TPS announcing on June 3 that they had made a number of arrests and laid charges in an unrelated aggravated assault investigation, this one at Kennedy Subway Station. This assault involved a weapon and took place on June 2, at approximately 8:15 p.m., after police received reports of a stabbing.According to the TPS, there was an altercation between six individuals on the south platform of the TTC bus bay. During the incident, a victim sustained two stab wounds and was transported to hospital in life-threatening condition. All suspects fled the scene.
Later that evening, police said the victim’s condition had stabilized and that a knife was also recovered.
In an update on the morning of June 3, the TPS said police have made five arrests and all of the suspects are young teenage boys.
Police said they have charged two 14-year-old boys, a 12-year old boy, a 13-year-old boy, and a 15-year-old boy, each with the same four charges: aggravated assault, assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon, and disguise with intent.
The teenagers were scheduled to be in court on June 3 at the Toronto Regional Bail Centre.