Toronto authorities are in pursuit of a 37-year-old man following an incident where four individuals were reportedly assaulted on a TTC bus in Scarborough.
On Wednesday, Sept. 23, law enforcement was alerted to an assault on a TTC bus near Huntingwood Drive and Midland Avenue. Upon investigation, it was revealed that four victims were involved, comprising three women and one man.
The suspect has been identified as Michael Ye, aged 37 and with no fixed address, wanted for four counts of assault.
The altercation gained public attention when a teenage girl, a student at Iman Academy, was allegedly punched while disembarking a bus close to Finch Avenue and Midland Avenue, as reported by Emad Ali, office manager of the North American Muslim Foundation (NAMF).
According to Ali, the victims, all young women of South Asian descent, were targeted, with one of them wearing a hijab. The girl struck on the bus sustained bruising around her eye and was subsequently hospitalized.
Speaking out about the incident, Ali revealed that another victim came forward, reporting a similar assault by the same individual on the same bus.
Following the assaults, concerns arose within the community regarding the potential for hate-based motives. Although the case is not presently being treated as hate-motivated, Toronto Police Service’s Hate Crime Unit has been informed.
The community is urged to remain vigilant, and those with relevant information are encouraged to contact Toronto authorities as the investigation continues.
