At approximately 10:45 a.m., Tuesday, Dec. 15, 2020, Southwest Division patrol officers were dispatched to the Southgate LRT Station platform on a report of an assault called in by ETS Transit Peace Officers.
It was reported to police that a 23-yr-old female had just entered the LRT southeast doors when she was approached by a woman not known to her. Without provocation, the accused proceeded to try and strike the woman in the head with a shopping bag, while yelling racially-motivated obscenities at her.
The complainant, a Black woman wearing a hijab, avoided being struck by the accused, then ran past her attacker, as the accused continued to try and thwart her escape. An ETS Transit Peace Officer on scene was able to intervene and quickly contacted police. EPS members arrived on scene shortly thereafter and took the woman into custody.
Rene Ladouceur, 32, is charged with assault with a weapon and nine outstanding warrants for unrelated events. EPS Hate Crimes and Violent Extremism Unit is also recommending that Section 718.2 of the Criminal Code of Canada be applied in this case, allowing the courts to consider increased sentencing when there is evidence the offence was motivated by hatred.
Please note, this incident is not connected to a recent hate-motivated incident that occurred at Southgate Shopping Centre last week, on Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020.
The Edmonton Police Service
has arrested and charged a 32-year-old woman in connection with a
hate-motivated incident involving another woman Tuesday morning on a southwest
Edmonton LRT platform.