Police investigating attacks on 2 men who used dating app Grindr in Sherbrooke, Que.

Sherbrooke, Que., police have opened an investigation into two attacks on men who used Grindr, a popular dating app for the2SLGBTQ+community.

Police received a call about a man who had been beaten by three individuals around 1:30 a.m. on Thursday. Approximately 45 minutes later, police were also called for a separate, similar case that occurred a kilometre away.

The two victims age 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 by several individuals.

One of the victims was pepper sprayed, according to police.

Police do not have a description of the three suspects, who are believed to have fled on foot. Both victims were taken to hospital as a precautionary measure for minor injuries.

'It's hitting home'

With the suspects still at large, Louis-Philippe Hbertworries there might be other victims.

Aspresident of GRIS Estrie, an organization which demystifies and supports people of diverse sexualities, he says it was shocking to hear about the two incidents.

"It's really a mix of emotions. I was a victim of aggression when I was younger like in my 20s in Montreal," said Hbert.

"You'd think that 35 years later that things would be better and those kinds of things wouldn't happen anymore."

Instead, he says he's witnessed a recent surge in online hate, spilling over into real-world violence.

With Pride events scheduled across Quebec this month, Hbert says these incidents both sadden and anger him.

"I think there's probably a lot of people in the LGBTQ+ community today that are wondering if they're safe anymore. Because it's hitting home," said Hbert

Although police say it is too early to know if the attack was hate-motivated, Hbert says it "ticks all the boxes of a hate crime."

"I really hope that the police department won't hesitate in calling it homophobic and hate crime as soon as possible because it's pretty clear to me," said Hbert.

Both victims connected to man with same name

Isabelle Gendron, spokesperson for Sherbrooke police, encourages people to reach out if they have camera footage or were witness to the incident on Thursday.

She says it is unclear if both victims were attacked by the same individuals. But she said that both victims had connected to a man with the same name on Grindr.

"It's one of the first times that I've heard of this kind of situation here in Sherbrooke," said Gendron.

In a news release, Sherbrooke police suggested taking precautions when meeting with people from online dating platforms.

"Plan to meet in a public place, tell someone you know about the meeting. And carry your phone with you in case of emergency," said police for the largest city in Quebec's Eastern Townships.

In an emailed statement, Grindr said it is aware that in certain instances digital platforms such as Grindr can be "abused to target LGBTQ+ people."

"Grindr has always taken its role as a connector for the queer community very seriously. We work closely with law enforcement to support their investigations of incidents," read the statement.

It encourages users to quickly report potential misconduct or suspicious behaviour through in-app reporting tools, and suggests people use video calling features to connect with other users before meeting them in person.