Peel Regional Police say a man and a woman have been charged after a “hate-motivated crime” at a Mississauga hardware store last month.
Police said the incident happened on March 16 at a store located in the area of Mavis Road and Hillcrest Avenue, just north of Dundas Street West.
Officers said two suspects got into a verbal argument with two victims over parking.
“The argument escalated to the point where the male suspect retrieved a weapon from the trunk of his vehicle and uttered threats towards the victims while using racial slurs targeting the Black community,” police said.
Officers allege that as the man was doing that, the woman “caused damage” to the victims’ vehicle.
The suspects then fled before officers got to the scene, but investigators later identified them, police said.
A 27-year-old woman and 24-year-old man, both Mississauga residents, were arrested on Saturday. The woman was charged with mischief over $5,000 and the man was charged with assault with a weapon and uttering threats to cause bodily harm.
Police didn’t identify them.
Both suspects were released and have a court appearance scheduled for June 25.
Police are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident or has information regarding it to call police at 905-453-2121 ext. 1133 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.