York Regional Police (YRP) say a Mississauga man has been charged after a woman was sprayed with an aerosol irritant during what investigators are treating as a hate‑motivated assault at a Vaughan community event late last month.
The incident happened on May 28 around 7:55 p.m., when officers were called to a weapons report in the area of Steeles Avenue West and New Westminster Drive.
Police say the victim was attending a community gathering when she was approached by an unknown man. After a brief interaction, the suspect allegedly sprayed her with an aerosol irritant before fleeing toward Conley Street and New Westminster Drive.
The woman was taken to the hospital with non‑life‑threatening injuries.
Following a public appeal, investigators with the YRP Hate Crime Unit identified and arrested a suspect.
Police say Scott Kynnersley, 41, of Mississauga, was charged on June 11 with assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon, unauthorized possession of a prohibited weapon, breach of weapons prohibition order and failure to comply with probation.
At the time of the attack, Kynnersley was already on probation and subject to a weapons prohibition order for unrelated offences, police said.