Toronto police announced late Thursday that they had arrested a suspect wanted in connection with threats made against candidates in the mayoral by-election, hours after news of the investigation prompted some candidates to pause their public campaign activities, including withdrawing from a planned debate.
Police spokeswoman Stephanie Sayer said in an e-mail that 29-year-old Junior Francois Lavagesse was in custody. Earlier in the day, the department distributed photos of Mr. Lavagesse and said he was wanted for threatening bodily harm, carrying a concealed weapon and possession of dangerous weapons.
Toronto police issued a news release Thursday afternoon that said a man entered a building in East York at around 10:44 a.m. and made “threatening remarks about shooting Toronto mayoral candidates.” The man was believed to have been carrying a gun.
Police were also investigating an online threat believed to be made by the same person, Ms. Sayer said in an earlier e-mail. She said it was a “blanket threat.”
Handout photo of Junior Francois Lavagesse, 29, who is being sought by Toronto Police for uttering threats.Supplied
After news of the threats became public, several candidates pulled out of a Thursday night debate planned by two federations representing Toronto residents’ associations. The event, which was scheduled at OCAD University, was ultimately cancelled.
There are 102 candidates in the June 26 by-election to replace John Tory, who resigned earlier this year.
Several of the more prominent candidates pulled out of the debate and some made changes to their campaigns in light of the threats.
Brad Bradford, a city councillor, said in a statement that he had paused all public events until the suspect was apprehended.
Josh Matlow, also a city councillor, cancelled his appearance at the debate and also closed his campaign office.
“This is terribly upsetting news for the city, for the campaigns and for democracy,” Mr. Matlow’s deputy campaign manager Katherine Janson said in an e-mail.
A spokeswoman for former Toronto police chief Mark Saunders said his mayoralty campaign already had concerns about disruptive behaviour at some media events and was planning to change how information about them was disseminated.
Laryssa Waler Hetmanczuk said in an interview that there had been an incident a few weeks ago, when a person purporting to be a mayoral candidate interrupted an event, trying to push his way onto camera and talking about becoming violent. “He was very, very aggressive,” she said.
In the wake of several occasions of people inserting themselves into events, the campaign will no longer publicize the exact location for Mr. Saunders’s appearances, she said. Instead, reporters will be told directly where he will be. While Ms. Waler Hetmanczuk said she felt that Mr. Saunders could defend himself, the campaign is concerned about the possible risk of an incident to media or the public.
Former councillor Ana Bailão wasn’t scheduled to attend the evening event because of a scheduling conflict. She issued a statement that called the threats unacceptable but said she wouldn’t stop campaigning.
“I will continue all my campaign activities because I will never be intimidated as a candidate or as your mayor,” the statement said.
Olivia Chow, a former NDP MP and former Toronto councillor, said in a statement that she was still learning about what happened.
“Moments like these can be unsettling for people involved in the election,” the statement said. “Like you, we are still learning more and I want to assure you that my family, my campaign team and volunteers are safe.”
Mitzie Hunter, who was a Liberal member of the Ontario legislature before resigning to run in the by-election, said in a statement that she had suspended her campaign and would reassess on Friday.
“I thank TPS officers for their vigilance in keeping all of us in Toronto safe,” the statement said.