A Toronto woman is speaking out after being randomly attacked in broad daylight and is raising concerns about safety in the city.
Rina Elias has gained the attention of hundreds of thousands of people after posting a video on TikTok describing her experience of being physically assaulted near Yonge and Dundas on Jan 20. shortly after 3:20 p.m.
“The sidewalk was not busy, we were not head-on-head, and I was not in his way whatsoever,” Elias recalled.
She described the man as being in mid-thirties, well-dressed and gave no indication of being a threat.
“He looked like he was headed back home after work,” she told Global News.
‘A sharp burning pain in my rib’
At 3:25 pm, after leaving the gym, Elias said she was assaulted.
“All of a sudden, as he was two metres away from me, he took two big lunges toward me and body-checked me,” Elias said.
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She recalls the impact being so forceful that she fell to the ground, struggling to breathe.
“I had generally thought in that second he had stabbed me because I was so winded. There was a sharp burning pain in my rib,” she said.
In the video, she further explains that he had positioned his elbows outward, resulting in a forceful blow.
When Elias fell to the floor, she recalls all her belongings dropping to the floor.
“He didn’t take anything, he stood over me and then simply walked away,” she added tearfully.
‘Be aware of your surroundings’
Shortly after the incident, Elias called 911.
“It was unprovoked and completely random. He was out on a mission to hurt someone. If it wasn’t me, it would have been the girl behind me or the girl across the street,” she said in the video.
Elias said this experience has made her more aware of the dangers living in the city.
“If you live in Toronto, you need to be aware of your surroundings at all times, it can literally happen to anyone,” she added.
Last year, there were 1075 reported assault incidents in Toronto.
Since posting the video, Elias said that other women have come forward with their own experiences of unprovoked violence in Toronto — many of them never reported.
Toronto police told Global News in a statement to be mindful of anyone acting suspiciously. They also advise pedestrians to avoid isolated area, let family and friends know your whereabouts and to keep distractions to a minimum.
“Don’t let people get too close, even if they appear to have a reason, such as asking for the time,” the statement read.
Elias warns her users to be mindful of everyone.
“I wanted to get my point across that literally be scared of everyone. Everyone is dangerous until proven not to be dangerous,” Elias said.
Toronto police said they are investigating the assault and encourage victims of crime to report such incidents.