Toronto man arrested after allegedly using live python in assault
A man has been arrested after allegedly assaulting another man with a live python snake in downtown Toronto.
Police said they responded to reports of a man threatening people with a python snake near the area of Dundas Street West and Manning Avenue, a few blocks east of Trinity Bellwoods Park, at around 11:50 p.m. on Wednesday.
It is alleged the man approached the victim with the snake, at which point a physical altercation broke out. The suspect then allegedly used the python to attack the victim.
Police arrived on the scene and placed the accused under arrest. The victim was not seriously injured and there is no threat to public safety, they said.
Laurenio Avila, 45, of Toronto, has been charged with assault with a weapon and unnecessary pain and suffering to an animal.
A video of the incident shared to social media has garnered more than 100,000 views at the time of publication. In the video, an individual can be seen hitting another individual with what appears to be a snake.
Avila appeared in court on Thursday and has been remanded into custody.
Anyone with further information about this incident is asked to contact police.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Police arrest Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides
Police have arrested a Toronto woman in connection with three recent homicides and investigators say that they believe two of the victims may have been 'randomly targeted.'
NDP house leader says House dysfunction will be a factor in future confidence votes
NDP House leader Peter Julian says there's more his party wants to do in Parliament before the next election, but if the current dysfunction continues it will become a factor in how they vote on a confidence measure.
Canadian family stuck in Lebanon anxiously awaits flight options amid Israeli strikes
A Canadian man who is trapped in Lebanon with his family says they are anxiously waiting for seats on a flight out of the country, as a barrage of Israeli airstrikes continues.
Youth pleads guilty to manslaughter in death of P.E.I. teen Tyson MacDonald
A teen charged with the murder of another teen on Prince Edward Island last year has pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of manslaughter.
BREAKING Jury begins deliberations in Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial
The jury tasked with determining if Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard sexually assaulted a young woman in northeastern Ontario eight years ago began deliberating Friday after nearly two weeks of testimony that saw the singer and his accuser give starkly different accounts of what happened.
BREAKING Here's what the jury didn't hear in Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial
A northeastern Ontario jury has started deliberating in Canadian musician Jacob Hoggard's sexual assault trial, we can now tell you what they weren't allowed to hear.
Former Colorado county clerk Tina Peters sentenced to 9 years for voting data scheme
A judge ripped into a Colorado county clerk for her crimes and lies before sentencing her Thursday to nine years behind bars for a data-breach scheme spawned from the rampant false claims about voting machine fraud in the 2020 presidential race.
Yazidi woman captured by ISIS rescued in Gaza after more than a decade in captivity
A 21-year-old Yazidi woman has been rescued from Gaza where she had been held captive by Hamas for years after being trafficked by ISIS.
Airlines' challenge of Canada's passenger protection rules rejected by Supreme Court
Canada's airlines have failed in their challenge of air passenger protection rules that the federal government implemented in 2019.