Assault at Brockville Dairy Queen being investigated as a hate crime, police say

Brockville, Ont., police say an assault at a Dairy Queen restaurant Thursday morning is being investigated as a hate crime.

Police received multiple reports about a fight at the fast-food restaurant at Central Avenue and Stewart Boulevard around 11:15 a.m.

Further callers warned police someone involved in the fight was armed with a knife, investigators said in a release Friday.

Responding officers located and arrested a pair of suspects who had fled the scene before police arrived.

Police say prior to the fight two males, aged 15 and 18, approached and verbally attacked a black male victim in the Dairy Queen with derogatory, racial slurs, which instigated the physical altercation.

Investigators say the victim was punched in the head and body during the assault before others in the restaurant tried to break it up.

At one point during the fight, police say one of the suspects pulled out a knife, but investigators haven’t said if the weapon was used.

The victim received non-life-threatening injuries in the assault, police say.

Both suspects were found to be in possession of knives and a substance believed to be cocaine, according to police.

The suspects are facing a number of charges including criminal harassment, assault, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, uttering threats, assault with a weapon, and possession of cocaine.

Both of the accused were held for a bail hearing.

Police say the incident is being investigated as a hate-motivated crime.

Hate can be considered as an aggravating factor at sentencing in Canadian courts, which can lead to more jail time following a conviction.