Sherbrooke, Que., police have opened an investigation into two attacks on men who used Grindr, a popular dating app for the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
Police received a call about a man who had been beaten by three individuals around 1:30 a.m. on Thursday. Approximately 45 minutes later, police were also called for a separate, similar case that occurred a kilometre away.
The two victims age 27 and 44 told police they had made contact with a man on Grindr. The suspect would arrange a meeting with a victim, who would then be surrounded by several individuals.
One of the victims was pepper sprayed, according to police.
Police do not have a description of the three suspects, who are believed to have fled on foot. Both victims were taken to hospital as a precautionary measure for minor injuries.
Both victims connected to man with same name
“Unfortunately we were not able to catch the suspects,” said Isabelle Gendron, spokesperson for Sherbrooke police
“We’d like people to contact us if they have camera footage, if they heard or saw anything that night.”
Gendron says it is unclear if both victims were attacked by the same individuals. But she said that both victims had connected to a man with the same name on Grindr.
“It’s one of the first times that I’ve heard of this kind of situation here in Sherbrooke,” said Gendron.
She says it’s too early to know if the attack was hate-motivated.
In a news release, Sherbrooke police suggested taking precautions when meeting with people from online dating platforms.
“Plan to meet in a public place, tell someone you know about the meeting.… And carry your phone with you in case of emergency,” said police for the largest city in Quebec’s Eastern Townships.
Grindr has not responded to a CBC News request for comment.