A 24-year-old man has been arrested following a series of “random and unprovoked” attacks in broad daylight on women in and near Toronto’s gay village, police say.
The suspect is accused of assaulting five women over a span of four days earlier this month.
The first attack took place in the Yonge and Wellesley streets area at around 8:10 a.m. on April 12.
Police allege that the suspect threw a rock at two women, minutes apart, striking each of them in the back.
The second incident occurred one day later on April 13 near Yonge and Dundas streets.
Police say the same suspect approached a third woman at around 1:10 p.m. and proceeded to kick her in the back of her head.
The woman sustained a concussion as a result.
The final two attacks occurred two days later on April 15.
Police allege that the same suspect approached a woman in the Church and Wood streets area at around 10:30 a.m. and kicked her in the back.
It is further alleged that the suspect then approached a woman in the Church and Carlton streets area minutes later and kicked her in the chest.
Ahmed Oumer, 24, of Toronto, was arrested on Wednesday morning and charged with two counts of assault, two counts of assault with a weapon and one count of assault causing bodily harm.
Police say that their investigation remains ongoing.
