Male suspect sought in 3 Toronto sex assaults
A man followed and then sexually assaulted three women in Toronto within an 11-hour period in August and police say he took steps to change his clothing to avoid detection.
Toronto police Det.-Const. Siu Mai Elzinga told reporters on Tuesday afternoon that the suspect has displayed a consistent pattern of behaviour in the victims that he targeted last month.
“He has targeted them because they are alone and by themselves and when they get to a secluded area, he will then sexually assault them at his opportunity,” Elzinga said.
The first incident occurred at 11:55 p.m. on Aug. 28, 2013, when a 23-year-old woman was walking north on Spadina Avenue from Queen Street West.
Police say the suspect followed her and then sexually assaulted the woman near Spadina Avenue and Dundas Street West.
Elzinga said the suspect was then wearing a white shirt, light-coloured cargo shorts and he wore a knapsack.
The next day, a 25-year-old woman was walking north on Spadina Avenue from King Street West at about 1:30 a.m. She noticed a man when she got to the Spadina Avenue and Queen Street West area. He followed her and sexually assaulted her when she was north of College Street on Spadina Avenue. He then fled the scene.
The suspect was then wearing a black, or navy-blue hoodie, over a knapsack, along with light-blue, sport-type shorts with three white stripes on the sides and trimming on the bottom. He had dark running shoes and white headphones around his neck.
Elzinga said that when the suspect fled the area, he was wearing a tank top with a vertical U.S. flag on it, along with light-coloured cargo shorts and no headphones.
At about 10 a.m. that same morning, a 46-year-old woman took the stairs from the subway to the bus platform at Keele Station, when she saw a man. He got on the same bus as her, the 89 Weston, and got off at the same stop, in the Eglinton Avenue West and Weston Road later. He approached the woman from behind a short time later and sexually assaulted her.
Elzinga said the suspect was then wearing a dark-coloured hoodie, overtop of a knapsack, along with light-coloured cargo shorts and dark-coloured Adidas shoes with a red tongue. He was carrying an extra pair of shoes with him.
The suspect was caught on video, shortly after that point, entering a building and carrying his hoodie. The tank top with the vertical U.S. flag is visible.
Elzinga said he then pulled a pair of striped, sport-type shorts over his cargo shorts. And he changed his shoes and put on white headphones.
In each of the incidents, Elzinga said the suspect has been described as a black male with a dark complexion, aged 20 to 25 years old, standing 5’6” to 5’8”, weighing 140 to 145 pounds and having a medium build.
Police believe there may be other incidents involving the suspect, and thus other possible victims. Anyone with information is asked to contact investigators at 416-808-7474, or to call Crime Stoppers at 416-222-8477.