Toronto, Virgin Mary statue decapitated, 30 Aug 2020

[dotr]

Parkdale church devastated after statue of Virgin Mary 'decapitated' | Toronto Sun
Aug 31, 2020 •

Father Walid El Khoury with a vandalized statue of Mother Mary in front of Our Lady of Lebanon Parish along Queen St. W. in the Parkdale neighbourhood in Toronto, Ont. on Monday August 31, 2020. Photo by Ernest Doroszuk /Toronto Sun/Postmedia

Toronto Police have released CCTV images of a suspect they believe may be responsible for the beheading of a Virgin Mary statue at a Parkdale church early Sunday morning. Photo by HANDOUT /TORONTO POLICE
''The statue, located at the Our Lady of Lebanon Parish, near Queen St. W. and Beaty Ave., was discovered without its head Sunday by a parishioner before morning mass.''

“Everybody was really shocked and upset and mad,” said Father Walid El Khoury, the pastor of the church. “It’s so close to the huge explosion that happened in Lebanon a few weeks back and they were already dealing with this and mourning their loved ones or loss of homes there. This happened so soon after that. It was disgusting.”

In a press release late Monday afternoon, police said the suspect is described as 5-foot-11 to 6-foot-1, with a thin build, long dark swept back hair and clean shaven. He was wearing a black t-shirt with a large white design on the front, a thin red vest over the t-shirt, beige shorts and dark Birkenstock-style sandals. Investigators have released video screen captures of the suspect.

 

[dotr]

Toronto Police Service
Toronto Police Service :: News Release #47961
''Case #: 2020-1642422
The Toronto Police Service is seeking the public's assistance in a mischief to religious property investigation.

On Monday, August 31, 2020, at approximately 1:22 pm., officers commenced an
investigation at Our Lady of Lebanon Parish located at 1515 Queen Street West, where a religious statue was damaged.

It is reported:

- on Sunday, August 30, 2020, at approximately 3:18 a.m., on the front lawn of Our Lady of Lebanon Parish, a statue of Mother Mary was damaged

- the head portion of the statue was removed

The suspect is described as 5'11"- 6'1", thin build, long dark swept back hair, and clean shaven. He was wearing a black t-shirt with a large white design on the front, a thin red vest over the t-shirt, beige shorts and dark Birkenstock-style sandals

Security camera images of the suspect have been released.

Investigators are appealing for witnesses to come forward and speak to police.


Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-1400, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, online on our Facebook Leave a Tip page, or text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637). Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes or Google Play.''

 

[LadyL]

did he take the head with him?

 

[dotr]

did he take the head with him?

It seems as though the alleged perp might have taken the head with him, imo.rbbm
Virgin Mary statue decapitated at Toronto church, head still missing
''To make matters worse, El Khoury said, people have been coming to the church to pray for the victims of the Beirut explosion, which left close to 200 people dead and thousands of others injured''

“People come to church to find solace and pray for victims of disaster, so it hurts for people to be here for that and then find statue defaced,” he said.

Additionally, El Khoury said he has been unable to locate the statue’s head. Upon checking the church’s surveillance footage, the pastor said he saw that someone was on the church’s lawn around 3 a.m. The individual appeared to have something in his hand as he left, El Khoury said.

Police are now investigating the incident, which Sgt. Jeff Zammit has described as “pathetic.”