Police arrest 21-year-old man in random beating of woman east of Toronto

WHITBY, Ont. — Police east of Toronto say they’ve arrested a 21-year-old man in connection with a vicious, random beating of a woman out for a walk.

Durham regional police say officers found a woman with serious injuries near a creek in Whitby, Ont., on July 29 around 10:30 a.m.

They say the woman remains in hospital in critical condition.

Last week, police released a video of the alleged perpetrator that helped lead to his identification.

Police say the suspect and the victim did not know each other and believe the attack was random.

Anthony Doiron-Francis, of Whitby, Ont., faces charges of attempted murder, aggravated sexual assault and aggravated assault.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on August 14, 2020.

The Canadian Press