Toronto police say four people have been arrested in connection with two suspected hate-motivated assaults against the Jewish community.
The arrests come nearly a month after an 18-year-old man was released on bail for charges related to the same assaults.
On Wednesday, Chief Supt. Katherine Stephenson said two adult men, one male youth and one female youth have been arrested. In addition, she said two other youths — a male and female — remain at large.
“These incidents were not random,” Stephenson said. “Based on the evidence gathered during the investigation, we allege that members of the Jewish community were deliberately targeted.
“These incidents appear to have been organized and planned with more than one individual involved in the coordination.”
On April 30, police responded to an assault in the Bathurst Street and Lawrence Avenue West area. It was reported that three victims, visibly identifiable members of the Jewish community, were walking outside.
A suspect who was in a vehicle discharged an imitation firearm that the victims described as an Orbeez-type gun, police said. They sustained minor injuries. The suspect fled in a blue SUV.
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On May 7 at approximately 10:45 a.m., police responded to an assault in progress outside the Congregation Chasidei Bobov synagogue. Three people, described as visibly identifiable members of the Jewish community, were shot from a vehicle with an imitation firearm. One victim was struck and suffered minor injuries. The suspects fled in a blue Lexus SUV, police said.
A replica gun is pictured in this photo evidence provided by Toronto police of a weapon involved in 2 hate-motivated assaults against the Jewish community.
Toronto Police Service
Of the seven individuals identified, Stephenson said “some” were involved in each incident.
“There was commonality between the vehicle used and some of the suspects that linked this together,” she said. “I can tell you that from the seven they were organized and planned, and some of that planning even occurred in the day before this happened.”
Ruslan Novruzov of Vaughan was arrested on May 8 after search warrants were executed at a residence and on a vehicle. Two gel-blaster imitation firearms were seized, along with other evidence.
Evidence heard in court on May 12 and reasons for Novruzov’s release on $2,000 are covered by a court-ordered publication ban.
Stephenson said Wednesday the matter is before the courts, but stressed allegations targeting violence against a community “demands a thorough and determined response.”
She added Novruzov’s arrested helped lead police to the four recently taken into custody.
—with files from Global News’ Catherine McDonald
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