Suspect sought in 2 hate-motivated assaults in Vaughan: police

Police say they are searching for a suspect wanted in two hate-motivated assaults in Vaughan. (York Regional Police handout)

York Regional Police say they are searching for a suspect wanted in two separate hate-motivated assaults in Vaughan.

According to police, the first incident occurred on June 9 at around 8:45 p.m. in the area of Major Mackenzie Drive West and Amusement Drive.

“The suspect approached the victim, made a racial comment, and then assaulted them,” York Regional Police said in a news release, adding that the suspect then fled the area.

The second assault occurred on June 11 at around 2:50 p.m. near Weston Road and Starling Boulevard, police say.

Again, investigators allege that the same suspect assaulted a victim and made a racial comment before fleeing the scene on foot.

The victims, police said, suffered minor injuries.

“In both incidents, investigators believe the victims were targeted based on their country of origin,” police said in the news release, issued Friday.

The suspect has been described as a South Asian male who is about six feet tall with shoulder-length black hair and a mustache with a soul patch.

“Investigators are releasing images of the suspect and are asking anyone who recognizes him, or who has information or video from the area, to come forward,” the news release concluded.