Police looking for suspect in multiple assaults in Roncesvalles

Toronto police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a suspect believed to be connected to six assaults in the Roncesvalles area.

After police initially reported two assaults in the area, four other people came forward to say they had also been victims of an assault in the area of Roncesvalles and Howard Park Avenues over the last week and one dating back to May.

Between July 20 and July 29, a man approached four women and one man on separate occasions and proceeded to either assault them, spit on them, or throw a drink at them before fleeing.

There is also a report from May 13 in which a man approached a 50-year-old woman and assaulted her before leaving the scene.

The man is described as 25 to 40-years-old, five foot eight to 10 inches, and has a thin to medium build with black hair. In the most recent incident, the man was wearing a black baseball cap, orange t-shirt and grey shorts.

Police are still investigating to determine if the incidents are connected.

One of the victims, 33-year-old Abigail Gamble, spoke with CityNews about what happened to her.

Gamble says she was walking in the neighbourhood in the evening when someone came running up behind her.

She said the man immediately punched her in the side after she had turned around to see what was going on. He attempted to punch her again in the face, but Gamble was able to block it and started yelling at him. The suspect then fled the area.

“I was just reacting. I wasn’t really thinking about what was going on. I was just upset and angry,” said Gamble.

Gamble said she has received lots of support from the community after coming forward with her story.

“When you speak up about something like this that has happened to you, it becomes a community experience. It belongs, not just to you, but to everyone because they become part of the solution,” she added.