Police in Quebec’s Eastern Townships arrested two suspects in connection with two attacks on men who used Grindr, a dating app for the 2SLGBTQ+ community.
Police say they arrested an 18-year-old man in an apartment building on Galt Street W. in Sherbrooke on Wednesday morning at around 6 a.m.
Investigators interviewed the suspect who later appeared in court to face charges of assault with a weapon, assault causing bodily harm and unauthorized possession of prohibited weapon or restricted weapon.
On Thursday morning, Sherbrooke police say another suspect, a 19-year-old man, turned himself in to investigators at a police station. Police then interviewed and arrested him.
He is expected to appear in court on Friday and faces charges of assault with a weapon and assault causing bodily harm.
At around 1:30 a.m. on Aug. 8, police received a call about a man who had been beaten near 910 LaRocque St. Approximately 45 minutes later, police say they were also called for a similar but separate case that occurred a kilometre away, near the intersection of Gillespie and Aberdeen streets.
The two victims, ages 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 and beaten by three individuals.
One of the victims was pepper sprayed, according to police.
Both victims were taken to hospital with minor injuries.
The investigation is ongoing and police say further arrests may be made in the coming weeks. They did not confirm whether or not it was a hate crime.