Manhunt underway after bomb injures 15 in Toronto

By Barry Ellsworth

TRENTON, Canada (AA) - The manhunt is on for two males suspected of detonating a bomb in a Toronto-area restaurant, injuring 15, authorities told reporters Friday at a news conference.

“I want to assure everyone that every police resource is being used to locate the people responsible for this horrendous act,” Peel Region Police Chief Jennifer Evans said, speaking near the location of the Mississauga restaurant.

Mississauga, with a population of around 710,000, is a city in Peel Region, just northwest of Toronto.

Police did not label the incident, which occurred late Thursday evening, as a terrorist act, but nothing is being ruled out, Evans said.

Two men with faces covered were caught on a security camera entering the Bombay Bhel restaurant, a popular area Indian eatery.

The pair fled the scene -- police believe in a vehicle -- after leaving an improvised explosive device in the restaurant.

Two separate celebrations were underway in the establishment and young children were present but not injured. The victims are aged 23 to 69, police said.

Three people were admitted to hospital with critical injuries but as of Friday morning their conditions had improved to stable.

Police said they had uncovered no motive as yet for the attack.

“There is no indication that this is a terrorist act, no indication that this is a hate crime,” Evans said, but added, “At this time we haven’t ruled anything out as we start our investigation."

Bonnie Crombie, the mayor of Mississauga called the incident a “heinous” crime.

“This is certainly not anything you would expect to happen in Mississauga, not my Mississauga. This is not the Mississauga I know,” she told reporters.