Arrest made in suspected hate-motivated assault in downtown Toronto

A Toronto Police Services logo is shown at headquarters, in Toronto, on Friday, August 9, 2019. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov

Police say a 60-year-old man has been charged in a suspected hate-motivated incident after he allegedly hurled racial slurs at a security guard and assaulted them with a weapon.

Officers were called to a building near Sherbourne and Dundas streets on Dec. 30 at approximately 3 p.m. for a report of an assault, police said.

It’s alleged that the suspect was loitering in the building when the security guard asked him to leave. Police said the suspect refused, uttered racial slurs, and assaulted them with an undisclosed weapon.

Police did not say what injuries the victim sustained.

Toronto resident Timothy Eaton is charged with two counts of utter threats/death or bodily harm, one count of weapons dangerous, and one count of assault with a weapon.

The incident is being investigated as potentially hate-motivated, police said.

Eaton was scheduled to appear in a Toronto courtroom on Jan. 2.

Police are asking anyone with information to contact them at 416-808-3500.