Sault police investigate possible hate-motivated assault

An undated photo of the Sault Ste. Marie Police Services Building on Second Line East. (File photo/CTV News Northern Ontario)

Sault police have launched an investigation into a possible assault that allegedly occurred last weekend as a person was walking to a downtown drag event.

The Sault Ste. Marie Police Service said Tuesday it is aware of a social media post and subsequent news article regarding an alleged assault on Queen Street East on Saturday.

Police say no formal report has been filed regarding an incident matching this description. However, a detective with the police force’s investigation services has been assigned and the matter is being investigated.

“Any incident involving violence or allegations of hate-motivated behaviour is taken very seriously,” police said in a news release.

The alleged assault involved a person walking to a downtown drag event at Coch’s Corner. The establishment hosted Mary the Night on March 7 for an evening gathering featuring drag performers, DJs and drink specials.

Mary the Night Sault Ste. Marie began hosting events on the first Saturday of the month in February and lists them as LGBTQIA2S+ and allies events. Posts on its social media indicate the events will feature “rotating DJs, fierce drag queens” and “fun bartenders” at the Queen Street East bar.

A post on the event’s Facebook page, which has since been taken down, said “a member of our community was violently attacked” while walking to the gathering. CTV News received a screenshot of the deleted post.

“We urge anyone who may have been the victim of a crime, or who witnessed or has information about a crime, to report it to police so it can be properly investigated,” police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Sault police at [phone] or attend the Police Services Building on Second Line East or Division 2 location on Brock Street. Anonymous information can also be provided by contacting Crime Stoppers.