Officers Balk At Assault, Play Cleanup

With support from the Chelsea Hotel Toronto and the Toronto Blue Jays, they brought Margaret Crisp from Whitby and nine-year-old Chris Gagnon from St. Catharines to watch the Blue Jays play the Tampa Bay Rays at Rogers Centre on September 23.

On August 9, Crisp and Gagnon were using the crosswalk at Dundas St. and Yonge St. when a man, in an unprovoked attack, struck the boy in his face and shoved his grandmother.

The victims were knocked to the ground by the accused, who walked away after the incident.

Crisp suffered bruises to her shoulder and arm, while her grandson bit his tongue when he fell to the ground.

A security officer at the Chelsea Hotel Toronto called police to report the incident.

“They knew us and felt it was something we should know about,” said Sgt. Jimmy Browne.

Browne sent Constables Gregory Seaforth and Michael Tanguay to the hospital to check on the woman and her grandson.

In the meantime, 52 Division officers started canvassing the area for the suspect.

“During the canvas, Ryerson security told us they had the incident on video,” said Browne. “As a result, we were able to ascertain who the suspect was.”

Five days after the alleged assault, Ryerson security called police, saying they had seen the suspect in the area.

Tim Lubin, 28, of Toronto, was arrested shortly afterwards and charged with assault.

“That was a happy outcome, but we felt we needed to do more,” Browne said. “We wanted them to know that this is not what the city of Toronto is all about. The hotel provided them with a night’s stay at their facility and the Jays donated two tickets for them to attend a game. We ended up turning lemons into lemonades.”

Crisp thanked the officers for bringing them back to Toronto to enjoy a weekend in the city.

“They went out of their way to do this for us and I am so grateful, ’the 68-year-old said. “I went to a Jays game once before and I am extremely happy to be going back again with my grandson, thanks to Toronto Police.”