One suspect in Mississauga restaurant bombing may be a woman: police

Police in Peel Region now believe one of the two suspects connected to an explosion at a Mississauga restaurant last week may be a woman.

During a press conference on Tuesday, Peel police Supt. Rob Ryan said at on the night the homemade IED went off at Bombay Bhel, there were 30 people inside the restaurant.

Ryan said that after speaking with those people, police now believe one of the two suspects may have been a woman.

“Original reports of the suspects indicated they were both men. However our investigators now believe one of the suspects could be a woman.”

Suspect #1 is described as five feet 10 inches to six feet tall, with a stocky build. The suspect was wearing dark pants, a dark-coloured hoodie pulled over their head, a baseball cap and their face was covered with dark material.

Suspect #2 is described as approximately five feet 10 inches to six feet tall with a medium build. The suspect was wearing blue jeans with a dark-coloured hoodie pulled over their head, and their face was covered with dark material.

“The suspects went to great lengths to hide their identities,” Ryan said.

Two separate birthday parties were going on when two heavily disguised suspects walked into the restaurant and detonated an improvised explosive device.

The suspects then fled the area on foot, heading eastbound, before jumping into an unidentified vehicle.

Fifteen people were injured when the bomb went off.

Those injured in the explosion ranged in age from 23 to 69, police said. Three of the victims had initially been listed in critical condition, but by Friday afternoon, police said all had been released from hospital.

“Investigators spent hundreds of hours over the weekend combing the scene for every fine detail that might lead them to understand what took place that night,” Supt. Ryan said.

Since the explosion, police said no group has come forward to claim the attack and that, so far, no evidence has pointed toward the incident as being a terrorist attack or a hate crime.

“What led the two suspects to detonate this device is still not clear,” Supt. Ryan said.

“We do not have a clear motive and no one has claimed responsibility.”

Police are asking anyone who may have information on the incident to come forward.

“We know there are people out there who know who did this and it’s time for them to do the right thing and come forward,” Ryan said.

Police have established a tip line for anyone with information to call: 1-866-966-0616.