Suspect wanted by Toronto police after alleged assault in restaurant, utterance of racial slurs

Toronto police officers say they’re looking for a male suspect in connection with a hate-motivated assault at an east-end restaurant.

According to a Toronto Police Service statement on Sunday, officers responded to a call about an alleged hate crime just before 7 p.m. on Thursday in the area of Queen Street East and Maclean Avenue north of Kew-Balmy Beach.

The statement alleges that the suspect became involved in a verbal altercation with the victim inside a restaurant before hurling racial slurs towards them.

It’s alleged the suspect then assaulted the victim with an object and proceeded to leave.

Police have released an image of the suspect and describe him as being around 60 years old and approximately five-foot-seven with a thin build.

At the time of the assault, officers say he was wearing a blue sweater, khaki shorts, baseball cap and white running shoes. He was also seen carrying a black bucket and a black shopping trolley.

Investigators said the investigation is being treated as a suspected hate-motivated offence.