Durham police are looking for a suspect after a man was allegedly sprayed with bear spray in a hate/bias-motivated incident in Oshawa, Ont., last month.
Police say officers were called to the area of Gibb Street and Stevenson Roud South on March 21 just after 6 p.m., after receiving reports of an assault.
Const. Nicholas Gluckstein, spokesperson for the Durham police, said in an interview with Global News on Tuesday that the incident began when a man was sitting in his vehicle in a parking lot minding his own business when he was approached by an unknown man.
Gluckstein said the unknown man began knocking on the window of the vehicle. The man in the vehicle wanted to know if the second man needed assistance, so he lowered his window to help him out.
“The suspect instantly and immediately sprayed him and attacked him with bear spray and uttered racial slurs,” said Gluckstein.
Police say the suspect then fled the area. He is described as a 35- to 40-year-old male with a thin build and was seen wearing a fitted black toque.
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Gluckstein said there has been an increase in hate/bias-motivated incidents and crimes in Durham Region recently.
“At this time, it appears they are unrelated, but we have seen an uptick in these types of crimes,” he said.
He said police are encouraging members of the public to be vigilant, especially when sitting in their car alone and if someone approaches them.
“You never know what someone’s intentions are, so just be careful,” he said.
He added that he would also advise anyone who’s ever experienced this type of hate-motivated or bias-motivated crime or incident to come forward and speak with police.
“Whether it’s a crime or an incident, we want to hear from you, we want to hear from the public and we can guide you in the right direction. Whether it’s an incident and it becomes a crime, we can lay those applicable charges and do the appropriate investigation to make sure these things don’t happen continually going forward in the future,” he said.
Anyone with surveillance footage, dashcam footage or any information about this incident is asked to contact Const. Fluxgold of Central East Division at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 3011.
Anonymous information can also be sent to Durham Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) or online at www.durhamregionalcrimestoppers.ca.
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