Toronto police have arrested and charged a man following two separate alleged knife attacks near the city’s waterfront and Union Station, according to investigators.

Police say the incidents involved Sikh victims and are being investigated as potentially hate-motivated offences. Officers responded to the reported attacks and began examining the circumstances surrounding the encounters, including what happened before and after each alleged assault.

The investigation has raised concerns because the incidents occurred in busy parts of central Toronto where residents, commuters and visitors regularly travel. Union Station is one of the city’s major transportation hubs, while the waterfront attracts large numbers of people.

Investigators are working to establish whether the two incidents were connected and what may have motivated the alleged attacks. Police are also expected to examine witness accounts and other available evidence as the case develops.

The accused now faces criminal charges, although the allegations have not been proven in court. The accused is presumed innocent unless found guilty through the legal process.

Police have urged anyone who witnessed either incident or has information that could assist the investigation to contact authorities. Investigators are also continuing to assess whether additional information could help establish the full sequence of events.

The case has drawn attention from the local Sikh community and Toronto residents more broadly, particularly because authorities are examining the possibility that the alleged attacks were motivated by hatred.

Officials are expected to provide further information as the investigation progresses and more facts can be confirmed.