‘Unknown substance’ sprayed at Canadian Hindi movie theater 1 photo International News: AFPBB News

Toronto, December 10 (IANS) Three movie theaters in Canada showing Hindi films were forced to evacuate after an “unknown substance” was sprayed inside the venue and hundreds of audience members suffered coughing fits.

Police said Wednesday that the incident occurred Tuesday night at a complex in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA) of Toronto, Vaughan and Brampton.

“Investigators are aware of two similar incidents at other movie theaters that same night, one in Brampton and one in Toronto. Our investigators are aware of two similar incidents at other movie theaters that night, one in Brampton and one in Toronto. “We are in contact with our local law enforcement partners regarding the incident,” York Regional Police said.

In one of those incidents, which occurred in Vaughan around 9:20pm on Tuesday, emergency services rushed to the scene and evacuated about 200 people who began coughing from the theater.

Investigators with York Regional Police learned that two male suspects wearing masks and hoods entered the theater after the screening of an “Indian Hindi film” began.

They then walked around spraying an unknown aerosol-based irritant into the air and fled before police arrived.

Police said several customers were treated for exposure to an unknown substance, but no serious injuries were reported.

Police released a description of the first suspect, saying he is a black male with light skin, approximately 5 feet 10 inches tall, and of medium build.

He was wearing a black sweater, a black jacket with a white logo, black pants with white stripes, a black toque with a white logo on the front, and a black medical mask.

Police say the second suspect is described as a dark-skinned man, approximately 5 feet 8 inches tall, with a medium build.

He was wearing a black sweater with a red logo over white text on the front, dark pants, brown boots, and a black mask.

According to Peel Regional Police, officers were called to a movie theater near Great Lakes Drive and Bovaird Drive in Brampton around 7:40 p.m. on a report of a substance being sprayed inside the theater.

The building was evacuated and no arrests were made, but investigators are reviewing video surveillance to determine what exactly happened.

According to Global News, a woman who was watching an Indian movie inside the theater said she felt sick after being sprayed with something inside the theater and left the theater.

She said she went outside and coughed for “five or six minutes.” “I just hope everyone is safe,” she told the news outlet.

Toronto police also received a call around 10:30 p.m. about a possible “stink bomb” being set off at a theater in Scarborough Town Center.

Police said the theater was evacuated and no injuries were reported.

Investigators believe there were numerous witnesses at the scene who could potentially assist in the investigation, as the GTA is home to many commercial and recreational businesses and has high pedestrian and vehicular traffic.