Suspect charged in 2 violent sexual assaults downtown: Toronto police
Shukta Omotola Alaka, 23, is seen in this photo released by Toronto police. (Toronto Police Service handout)
A 23-year-old man is in custody in connection with two violent sexual assaults in the city’s downtown core earlier this summer.
According to police, the first assault occurred on June 26 at around 1 a.m. in the area of Ontario Street and Dundas Street East.
Police said a woman was approached by a man, who attempted to engage her in conversation. When the woman left and continued walking home, she was attacked by the man, police said.
“The victim was knocked to the ground, dragged into an alleyway and sexually assaulted,” Toronto police said in a news release issued Tuesday.
“The assault was interrupted by a concerned citizen.”
The man immediately fled the area, police said.
The second attack occurred in the area of Parliament Street and Dundas Street East on July 23 at around 2:30 a.m., investigators said.
Police said a woman was approached by an unknown man, who proceeded to follow her into an alley and sexually assault her.
A suspect was arrested and charged in connection with both assaults on Aug. 4, police said.
The suspect, who has been identified by police as Shukta Omotola Alaka, a 23-year-old Toronto resident, has been charged with two counts of sexual assault with choking and overcoming resistance/ attempted choking.
Police said they believed there may be more victims and are asking anyone with information to come forward.
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