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 Police tape cordons off the Alderwood Centre in Toronto where cops say a woman was sexually assaulted Saturday. (CHRIS DOUCETTE/QMI Agency) |
TORONTO -- The hunt is on for three men wanted for a violent sexual assault in a quiet neighbourhood in Toronto.
Toronto Police reported yesterday that officers were called to a residential area, near Horner Ave. and Browns Line, on Saturday morning by a woman who complained she was attacked by three men outside Sir Adam Beck Junior School.
It's believed the victim, whose age was not released, was at a nearby bar Friday night.
She left the bar early Saturday and was sexually assaulted in the school's parking lot and at an adjoining outdoor ice rink for nearly five hours.
Police are releasing few details for fear of tainting the recollections of potential witnesses, so it's unclear if the woman knew her alleged attackers or if the trio had also been at the bar.
Det. Andrew Gibson, of 22 Division, said he doesn't want to cause people in the neighbourhood to panic.
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"But I do want the public, and women in the area, to know about this and to be careful," he said. "And I want to talk to any members of the public who were in that area between 2 a.m. and 6:47 a.m."
A small city block surrounding the Alderwood Centre -- which is located at Horner Ave. and Orianna Dr. and includes the school, a community centre, a library, the rink and a park -- was cordoned off with yellow police tape for much of Saturday by investigators.
A police source said the victim either woke up or came to in the parking lot and went home, where she called 911.
Gibson said she had to be treated and examined in hospital, adding, "every sexual assault is a violent attack, every single one."
Upon seeing yellow tape stretched all the way around the block on Saturday, some area residents wondered if there had been some sort of environmental disaster.
While relieved to learn they faced no imminent danger, several area residents said it was "disturbing" to hear such an incident had occurred in the normally safe community.
Police said the three attackers were black and between the ages of 20 and 30.
One had a slim muscular build and a swirl design shaved into the back of his head. A second suspect was described as slim and wearing a green parka with a fur-lined hood.
The third man had a heavy build, estimated to weigh as much as 300 pounds. He wore a black parka, fur-lined hood and a chain with a letter P medallion hanging from it.
Anyone with information is urged to call police at 416-808-2204, or Crime Stoppers at 416-222-TIPS.
CHRIS.DOUCETTE@SUNMEDIA.CA
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With files from The Canadian Press.