TTC operator slashed with 'edged weapon' at Eglinton station

A Toronto Transit Commission bus driverwas slashed with an "edged weapon" at Eglinton station after leavinga washroomearly Saturday.

TorontoPolice say they received a call about the slashingat 12:07 a.m.

Const. David Hopkinson, spokesperson for the Toronto police, said the TTC operatorwas cut by a man when heexited a bathroom, he tried to defend himself,and protective gear hewas wearing took the brunt of the edged weapon.

The assailant pulled a silver handgun on the operator, who was forced back into the bathroom. The operator then locked the bathroom doorand the assailant fled on foot.

The assailantis described as a white man, about six feet tall, 180 lbs, with shaggy, short brown hair andscruffy facial hair. He was wearinga black hoodie.

Bob Kinnear, president of Amalgamated Transit Union local 113, said the TTC employeewas wearing a back brace which may have protected him from the worst of the attack.

He said it appears that the attack may have been random. The employee involved has been workingfor the TTC for about a year.

Kinnear said the washroom was in authorized area and the man who attacked him was not cleared to be there.

"That's where the attack may have initiated," he said. "We are concerned about the entire public when it comes to safety, but when a person is in an unauthorized area that is much more concerning."

The bus driverhas been released from hospital.

"As for his physical injuries, he will fully recover, but obviously this is a very traumatic experience for a TTC employee."

Kinnear said the TTC will workwith police to determine any video or audio recordings that may be available from the area at the time.

"Assaults are unfortunately a common occurrence, almost a daily occurrence for TTC workers," he said."There are incidents of shootings, a collector murdered. Unfortunately, violence is something that we've had to face over the years and continue to face."

Toronto paramedics said they transported a person who was slashed in the incident and that he had non-life threatening injuries.

"A person was cut," Dan Hunter, deputy commander at Toronto Paramedic Services, said Saturday.