An explosion caused by an “improvised explosive device” on Thursday ripped through an Indian restaurant in a mall in the Toronto suburb of Mississauga, Ontario, wounding 15 people, Canadian police said.
Two suspects with their faces covered to conceal their identity entered the Bombay Bhel restaurant and dropped some sort of explosive device and fled, Peel Regional Police Sergeant Matt Bertram said.
“We have no indication to call it a hate crime or any kind of terrorism act,” Bertram said.
Three people sustained critical injuries and were taken to a hospital, while the remaining 12 victims sustained “minor and superficial injuries,” Peel Regional Paramedic Services emergency medical technician Joe Korstanje said.
The explosion happened just after 10:30pm, and the plaza where the restaurant is located was still sealed off yesterday.
“Nothing was said by these individuals,” Bertram said. “It appears they just went in, dropped off this device and took off right away.”
Police could not say what the device was yet, he said.
“Different callers called in and said it was firecrackers, or some said gunshot sort of noises. I don’t think it was an explosion that was rocking anything,” Bertram said. “Until we can get in there and analyze the material after the search warrant we won’t be able to say what it was.”
Andre Larrivee, who lives in a nearby condominium, said he was watching TV and heard a loud explosion.
“It was really loud,” he said, comparing the noise to an electric generator that had exploded at a nearby construction site recently.
Police asked for the public’s help.
The restaurant describes itself online as an authentic, yet casual, Indian dining experience.
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