The Toronto police says it is investigating a suspected hate-motivated attempted murder in a case where a man reportedly set a woman on fire on a bus on Friday, June 17.
Tenzin Norbu, 33, poured a flammable liquid on the woman and then set the substance on fire, causing the woman to burn, the police said.
Norbu fled the crime scene after the attack and was later located and arrested in an area nearby. He is facing four charges: attempted murder, assault with a weapon, common nuisance endangering lives or public safety, and mischief over $5,000 involving interference with property.
He was scheduled to appear in court at 2201 Finch Avenue West on Monday morning, June 20.
Li said investigators believe the attack to be random, though they are still looking into the interactions between the man and the woman.
He praised the good Samaritans who came to the woman’s aid and urged the public to stay vigilant of such random acts of crime.
“This is a random attack, and any type of crime prevention-related tips or strategies that we would have provided [is] if you see anything suspicious, any type of suspicious activity or individual, report that to authorities immediately,” Li said.
The Toronto Police Service said that after consultation with the agency’s Hate Crime Unit, it has decided to treat the incident as a suspected hate-motivated crime, though no details of the man’s motive were provided. The police said the attack was an isolated incident and that there are no ongoing public safety concerns.
Rick Leary, the TTC’s CEO, said the company was shocked by the attack and wished the victim full recovery.
