Police looking to identify suspect in hate-motivated assault
The Calgary Police Service is investigating a hate-motivated assault on the Calgary CTrain that occurred in October 2018.
On Saturday October 27, 2018, at approximately 4:40 p.m., a female victim was travelling southbound on the CTrain from the downtown core, when an unknown male became verbally abusive and assaulted the victim.
It is believed the offender became abusive towards the transgender woman because of her gender identity. The offender exited the CTrain at Chinook station, after the help button was used to summon help.
The Calgary Police Service Hate Crimes Coordinator is now investigating the incident as a hate-motivated offence, and is appealing for witnesses on the busy CTrain car to come forward.
The offender is described as a Caucasian male, with short sandy-coloured hair and a few days growth of facial hair. He was wearing dark-coloured jeans and a T-shirt and may have a neck tattoo.
CCTV of the offender on a CTrain platform prior to the assault is available on The City of Calgary Newsroom. Police are also looking to speak with two witnesses who are shown in the CCTV footage and appear to have had an interaction with the offender while on the CTrain platform.
Anyone with information about this incident or the identity of the offender is asked to contact the Calgary Police Service by calling the non-emergency number at 403-266-1234 or emailing the Hate Crimes Coordinator at hatecrime@calgarypolice.ca. Tips can also be left anonymously through Crime Stoppers using either of the following methods:
TALK: 1-800-222-8477
TYPE: www.calgarycrimestoppers.org
Hate-motived crimes are crimes where the offender is motivated entirely or in part by bias, prejudice or hate that is based on any of ten personal characteristics of the victim. The ten characteristics are race, national or ethnic origin, language, colour, religion, sex, age, mental or physical disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or on any other similar factor.
When police find evidence that hate or bias was the motivation for a crime in whole or part, additional evidence is present in court to articulate this. At the conclusion of a trial, the hate bias because an aggravating factor for the presiding judge to consider.
Case #18481593 / 4771