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Man charged in hate-motivated assault at Vaughan event

Scott Kynnersley, 41, of Mississauga was arrested and charged after a woman was sprayed with an aerosol irritant at a community gathering on May 28.

· 2 min read · HOC Toronto Desk
Man charged in hate-motivated assault at Vaughan event
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York Regional Police have charged a Mississauga man with assault with a weapon following what investigators are treating as a hate-motivated incident at a Vaughan community event.

The incident occurred on May 28 around 7:55 p.m. in the area of Steeles Avenue West and New Westminster Drive. Police say a woman attending the community gathering was approached by an unknown man who, after a brief interaction, sprayed her with an aerosol irritant before fleeing toward Conley Street and New Westminster Drive. The woman was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.

Following a public appeal for information, investigators with the York Regional Police Hate Crime Unit identified and arrested a suspect. Scott Kynnersley, 41, of Mississauga, was charged on June 11 with assault with a weapon, possession of a weapon, unauthorized possession of a prohibited weapon, breach of weapons prohibition order, and failure to comply with probation.

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

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