A woman died after being assaulted Friday morning on a sidewalk in downtown Toronto, local police confirmed.
Police say an elderly woman in her 60s or 70s was violently shoved to the ground while simply walking in the Queen City financial district at around 11:40 a.m. near the intersection of Yonge Streets. and King. She reportedly received severe injuries to her face and head.
Paramedics quickly arrived on the scene to try to save her, but the woman was later pronounced dead at the scene.
A suspect in his thirties, who fled the scene after the incident, was located about an hour later and is currently under arrest. According to the police authorities, the event would have all the appearances of an attack against a random victim, and would not have been provoked.
He could be charged with assault causing death, although this could be escalated following the autopsy.
For now, according to the latest information released by the police, homicide investigators have been alerted to the incident, but have not yet taken the case under their arm.
The incident raises several concerns from city residents on the issue of public safety in the city of Toronto. Many such events have occurred in the city in recent months.
Notably, there was this “tingling” incident, also in the city center, in December, where eight teenage girls were charged with the murder of a 59-year-old man.