Toronto police are now investigating a suspected hate crime in which a woman was set on fire on a TTC bus, and a man has been charged in connection with the incident.
It happened just before 12:30 p.m. on Friday at Kipling Station.
According to police, a man on a bus allegedly poured flammable liquid on a female passenger and set her on fire.
The woman, believed to be in her twenties, was assisted by TTC employees and bystanders. She was taken to the hospital with second and third-degree burns and is still in critical condition.
Police said the man fled the area but was later located and taken into custody.
On Sunday, police identified the man as 33-year-old Tenzin Norbu of Toronto. He is facing four charges, including attempted murder and assault with a weapon.
Police also announced that they are treating the incident as a suspected hate-motivated offence following consultation with the hate crime unit.
Speaking to reporters on Sunday, Const. Alex Li said the man and the woman were unknown to each other. Police have said the attack was an isolated incident, and there is no threat to the public.
“The issue with (a) random (incident) is that we have to then trace what the relationship or how this came to be, what the motive was,” Li said. “So in this instance, (it) being random (is an) obvious cause of concern.”
He commended the “quick act of the good Samaritans” to help the woman.
“The message again to the community is when you see something suspicious, or you notice something that is not right, notify authorities immediately. Be cognizant of your surroundings,” Li said.
Norbu is scheduled to appear in court on Monday.
Source_ cp24.com
