Hate crime probe leads to arrest of Mississauga man after woman assaulted near Toronto

A Mississauga man faces assault and weapons charges after a woman was sprayed with an aerosol irritant while attending a community event in Vaughan in late May.

Investigators with the York Regional Police Hate Crime Unit said a man was charged on June 11 in connection with their probe into the May 28 incident.

Shortly before 8 p.m. that night, officers responded to a weapons call in the area of Steeles Avenue West and New Westminster Drive.

“The female victim was attending a community event when she was approached by an unknown male,” police said in a news release on Tuesday, adding the man and woman subsequently “had a brief interaction.”

A short time later, according to police, the man sprayed the woman with an aerosol irritant before fleeing the scene on foot near Conley Street and New Westminster Drive.

The woman was taken to hospital, where she was treated for her injuries.

Police said members of the public helped investigators locate a suspect.

Scott Kynnersley, 41, of Mississauga, is charged with:

• Assault with a weapon.
• Possession of a weapon.
• Unauthorized possession of a prohibited weapon.
• Breach of a weapons prohibition order.
• Fail to comply with probation.

At the time of the offence, the accused was on probation and subject to a weapons prohibition order for unrelated offences, police said.

The investigation continues.

Anyone with information related to the case is asked to call police at 1-866-876-5423, ext. 6552, or email [email protected]. Additionally, anonymous tips can be called in to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.