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The Ottawa Police Service’s hate and bias crime unit has charged Kevin Belisle with an additional charge of attempted murder, along with three charges of assault causing bodily harm, in relation to attacks in the Centretown and Chinatown neighbourhoods on Nov. 17.
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Belisle, a 32-year-old from Ottawa, was originally charged with two counts of assault, one count of aggravated assault and mischief, but an additional victim has since come forward, police said Tuesday.
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Belisle was scheduled to appear in court on the additional charges on Nov. 27.
The OPS is asking anyone with additional information about the incidents to contact the hate and bias crime unit at 613-236-1222, extension 5105.
“We continue to encourage anyone who witnesses or experiences such incidents to report them to police,” OPS said in a statement. “Reporting hate-motivated incidents is an important step in stopping cycles of hatred.”
On Nov. 17, between 8:45 p.m. and 10:15 p.m., police responded to three calls for service for assaults on Laurier Avenue West, Bronson Avenue and Bank Street.
Police said the Central Division Criminal Investigations Section was involved because all of the assaults “were believed to be hate-related since all three victims were of Asian descent and the suspect description for each assault was similar.”
Police confirmed that the additional victim who came forward was also of Asian descent.
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