Police launch hate crime investigation after 'unprovoked' assault in downtown Toronto

A suspect in an assault investigation in downtown Toronto on Sept. 22 is shown in this surveillance image. Police say that they are treating the incident as a suspected hate-motivated crime.

Police have launched a hate crime investigation after an unprovoked assault in downtown Toronto last week.

It happened near Dundas and Chestnut streets at around 5:50 a.m. on Sept. 22.

Police say that the suspect approached a group of people and “began yelling obscenities about religion.”

It is alleged that the suspect then continued to accost the group of people, at one point demanding to know their religion.

He then struck one of the individuals in the face multiple times before fleeing the scene on foot, police say.

In a news release issued on Monday, police said that the investigation into the incident is now being treated as a “suspected hate-motivated offence” follow consultation with the Toronto police Hate Crime Unit.

“When suspected hate-motivated offences are reported to police, the investigation will be led by a divisional investigator. The Hate Crime Unit will be made aware and specialized officers from that unit will support the investigation as needed,” the release notes.

Police have released several surveillance camera images of a suspect in the case.

He is described as approximately five-foot-ten with medium length curly black hair. He was last seen wearing an oversized beige "American Eagle" hooded sweater and light green shorts over a pair of pants.