Toronto police said in a news release that a suspect who stabbed a person with knife in the Queens Quay West and Lower Spadina Avenue area on August 29, made anti-Sikh utterances and racial slurs. 

The Toronto Police Service is requesting the public’s assistance in identifying a suspect in a suspected Hate-Motivated Assault with a Weapon investigation. 

It is alleged that the suspect approached the victim and a witness during an unprovoked interaction, the suspect made anti-Sikh utterances and racial slurs, the suspect attacked the victim with a weapon and the victim was stabbed in the leg and received non-life-threatening injuries

The suspect is described as male, 5’6”, with black hair. The suspect was wearing a navy-blue, short sleeved jersey with the NFL “Sunday Ticket” logo on the back, with white stripes running from the base of the neck, down the back, to each armpit, blue jeans with a dark grease mark on the left calf, and grey and black New Balance running shoes.

An image of the suspect has been released.

This investigation is being treated as a suspected hate-motivated offence.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-3505.

When suspected hate-motivated offences are reported to police, the investigation is led by the Hate Crime Unit (HCU).

If it is alleged a criminal offence was committed (such as assault or mischief) and it is believed to have been motivated by bias, prejudice or hate, the officer-in-charge may consult with the Crown. If a person is charged and convicted of the offence, the Judge will take into consideration hate as an aggravating factor when imposing a sentence.

Wilful promotion of hatred and advocating genocide are hate propaganda (hate speech) offences which require the Attorney General’s consent to lay charges. These charges are often laid at a later time.