Toronto police are investigating after a man was violently attacked outside a mosque in the city’s east end.
Investigators say the assault occurred around 7:50 p.m. on Wednesday at Baitul Aman Masjid near Victoria Park and Danforth avenues. Video surveillance shows a man walking in the parking lot when two suspects approach and start attacking him.
“This is a barbaric attack,” says Imam Muhammad Kamruzzaman. “We strongly condemn this heinous attack on an innocent man.”
The surveillance footage from the mosque’s security camera shows the victim walk into the parking lot carrying bags. He is quickly approached by two suspects, one of whom is holding what appeared to be a baseball bat.
The suspects start to to attack the victim, swinging the bat at him and then stomping him repeatedly once he falls to the ground. A grey sedan pulls up during the ongoing attack and the two suspects get inside the vehicle as it drives off.
Kamruzzaman identified the victim as 67-year-old Mahbubul Alam Chowdhury, adding he is a member of the mosque and a well-known person in the community.
He says Chowdhury was unable to walk on his own after the attack and went to hospital on Wednesday night. He was released and returned home on Thursday.
“I demand proper investigation into this incident and these cowards must face the weight of justice,” Kamruzzaman says.
Police say the attack does not appear to be hate-motivated.
Kamruzzaman tells CityNews the suspects are not known to the mosque and they don’t know what motivated the attack. He says additional surveillance footage suggests the suspects were sitting in the parking lot for almost an hour prior to the incident.
He says it is the first physically violent attack on the mosque’s property that he is aware of.
A demonstration to call for justice is being held outside the mosque at 2:15 p.m. on Friday.
The investigation is ongoing.
