Mississauga restaurant bombing

A bombing occurred at the Hurontario and Eglinton Bombay Bhel restaurant in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, on May 24, 2018, just before 10:32 pm.[1] The restaurant is located in a shopping plaza along Hurontario Street, a main north–south thoroughfare in Mississauga, at the intersection with Eglinton Avenue.[1][2]

Mississauga restaurant bombing
LocationBombay Bhel
5035 Hurontario Street
Mississauga, Ontario, Canada
Coordinates43.608581°N 79.653517°W / 43.608581; -79.653517
DateMay 24, 2018 (2018-05-24)
10:32 pm (EDT)
TargetPatrons
Attack type
Bombing
WeaponIED
Deaths0
Injured15

Bombing

Two people, still at large and unidentified, are suspected of detonating an improvised explosive device inside the flagship location of Bombay Bhel, a regional Indian restaurant chain, injuring 15 of the 40 people inside.[3] The victims were between the ages of 23 and 69, most attending two birthday parties.[4] Three were sent to the trauma centre at Toronto's Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre in critical condition.[5] They were stabilized and released the next day.[6][7] Others were treated for minor injuries at the nearby Mississauga Hospital and Credit Valley Hospital.[8]

Peel Regional Police said surveillance photographs show the suspects wearing jeans and dark-coloured hoodies, one with a black cloth over their face.[9] The on-site police investigation ended on May 28.[10] The restaurant's manager said it would remain closed to customers until further notice.[10] On May 29, police announced they believe one suspect may be a woman and that the bomb was very likely homemade.[11]

The restaurant reopened on September 21, 2018 following repairs and renovations, four months after the bombing.[12]

Reactions

Bonnie Crombie, the Mayor of Mississauga, called the attack "heinous" and expressed support for the victims.[7] The bombing was also condemned by the leaders of all three major provincial political parties: Premier of Ontario and Liberal Party leader Kathleen Wynne, Progressive Conservative Party leader Doug Ford, and New Democratic Party leader Andrea Horwath.[13] Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau also condemned the attack and wished a speedy recovery to the victims.[14] Navdeep Bains, the Member of Parliament for Mississauga—Malton (which includes where the bombing occurred), called for the community to come together for support and comfort in the wake of the attack.[14]

Indian Foreign Minister Sushma Swaraj wrote that she and her office are "in constant touch with the Consul General in Toronto and the Indian High Commissioner in Canada" and the diplomatic missions would "work round the clock."[15] Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh issued a statement that condemned the bombing as a "dastardly" attack and added that "the incident, which comes just a month after 10 pedestrians were mowed to death by a van driver in Toronto, has once again highlighted the global dimensions of terrorism."[16]

Lawsuit

Six of the 15 injured victims of the bombing launched a civil suit against the owners of Bombay Bhel in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice on August 21, 2018.[17] The suit is seeking $1 million per plaintiff in damages and alleges, citing unnamed sources and "rumours about threats in the community", that the owners of the restaurant were in a "turf war" with rival businesses and should have been aware of security threats.[18] Peel Regional Police said in a statement that there was no evidence of threats to the restaurant, its owners, or its staff; and Peel Police "have no information to suggest that this is a turf war".[19]

References
  1. Porter, Catherine; Bilefsky, Dan (May 25, 2018). "Two Sought in Bombing at Indian Restaurant in Ontario". New York Times. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
  2. "Explosion in Toronto, Canada: 15 injured in blast in Indian restaurant near Toronto". The Times of India. May 25, 2018. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
  3. Rosella, Louie (May 25, 2018). "'I've never seen so much blood:' Paramedic who responded to bombing at Mississauga restaurant". The Mississauga News. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
  4. Bañares, Ilya; Syed, Fatima (25 May 2018). "Hunt on for two suspects as 15 people injured in Mississauga restaurant explosion". Toronto Star. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  5. Gallant, Jacques; Syed, Fatima; Moon, Jenna; Gignac, Julien (May 25, 2018). "Mississauga restaurant bombing left a scene of chaos, witnesses say". Toronto Star. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
  6. Roche, Kelly (25 May 2018). "Mississauga Residents Among Victims in 'Horrendous' Explosion". Insauga. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  7. "Police hunt for 2 men in Mississauga, Ont. restaurant blast, motive still unknown". CBC News. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
  8. Rosella, Louie (May 25, 2018). "'Absolutely horrifying': 2 men hunted after bomb explosion inside Mississauga restaurant leaves 15 wounded". The Mississauga News. Retrieved May 29, 2018. The other 12 are aged 23-69 and they have all been released from Mississauga and Credit Valley hospitals, Trillium Health Partners said in a statement.
  9. Moshtaghian, Artemis; Chavez, Nicole (May 25, 2018). "2 men wanted after blast injures 15 people at restaurant near Toronto". CNN. Retrieved 2018-05-25.
  10. "Police wrap up investigation at Bombay Bhel following restaurant blast". CBC News. The Canadian Press. May 28, 2018. Retrieved May 28, 2018.
  11. "Suspect in Mississauga, Ont., restaurant explosion may be female, police say". CBC News. May 29, 2018. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  12. "Bombay Bhel reopens 4 months after bomb blast injured 15 people". CBC News. September 21, 2018. Retrieved November 19, 2018.
  13. "Ontario party leaders condemn Mississauga bombing". Toronto Star. 25 May 2018. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  14. MacLeod, Alana (25 May 2018). "Politicians react to IED explosion in a Mississauga restaurant". Global News. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  15. "At least 15 injured after men set off bomb at restaurant in Canada". Press TV. Reuters. May 25, 2018. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
  16. "Amarinder condemns Toronto restaurant blast". The Quint. Indo-Asian News Service. May 25, 2018. Retrieved May 29, 2018.
  17. "People injured in bombing sue restaurant". The Mississauga News. Metroland Media Group. The Canadian Press. August 21, 2018. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  18. McLaughlin, Amara (August 21, 2018). "Bomb blast victims sue Bombay Bhel for $6M, claim Toronto-area restaurant was target of 'turf war'". CBC News. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
  19. Douglas, Pam (August 21, 2018). "No evidence of 'turf war' or prior threats in Bombay Bhel bombing: Police". The Mississauga News. Metroland Media Group. Retrieved August 31, 2018.
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