Numerous movie-goers started coughing after two men in masks and hoods sprayed an “unknown, aerosol-based, irritating substance into the air” in a theatre.

Toronto: Several moviegoers in three different Greater Toronto Area regions in Canada were evacuated and some were treated for exposure to an unknown substance sprayed by masked men in theatres playing Hindi movies earlier this week. The incidents were reported in Brampton, Vaughan and Scarborough.

One such incident happened around 9:20 p.m. on Tuesday (local time) at a cinema complex in Vaughan, York Regional Police said in a statement on Wednesday.

Numerous movie-goers started coughing after two men in masks and hoods sprayed an “unknown, aerosol-based, irritating substance into the air” in a theatre.

Police confirm around 200 moviegoers needed to be evacuated from the building. Investigators say they believe the incident was an “intentional act” and a criminal investigation is ongoing. “Investigators learned that two male suspects wearing masks and hoods had attended the cinema, entered the theatre after the movie began and then walked around and sprayed an unknown, aerosol-based, irritating substance into the air. The suspects fled before police arrival,” police said in a release.

The police informed that no serious injuries were reported and the suspect fled before the police arrived the location.

Police said the first suspect was a Black man with a light skin tone while the second man was described as brown with a light skin tone. York police said they were liaising with both Peel and Toronto police about similar incidents that happened this week, CBC News reported.

Investigators released a security camera image as well as descriptions of the suspects (below):

• Suspect #1 description: Male, Black, light skin tone, 5’10”, medium build, wearing a black sweater, black jacket with a white logo on the front right side, dark pants with a white stripe and a black toque with a white logo on the front, wore a black medical mask
• Suspect #2 description: Male, brown, light skin tone, 5’8″, medium build, wearing a black sweater with a red logo above white text on the front, dark pants, brown boots, Wore a black mask

“Coincidentally, they took place all within less than three hours on the same evening,” a York police officer said on Wednesday. “So we are certainly looking into the possibility that these incidents are linked.”

Peel police confirmed in a statement that officers were called to a theatre in Brampton on Tuesday following reports of some sort of substance sprayed on the premises. “It is unknown at this time if any other incidents are connected but our investigators are aware of those incidents that took place in York Region and Toronto,” the statement said. Toronto police said officers similarly got a call on Tuesday night about someone setting off a “stink bomb” in a theatre at Scarborough Town Centre.

In a statement, Cineplex said it was working “closely with local authorities” investigating the incident. “Our primary focus and commitment is the safety and well-being of our guests and our team,” Michelle Saba, a spkesperson for Cineplex, said. “We thank our teams for helping guests evacuate safely,” CTV News Toronto quoted Saba as saying.

NOTE: Police believe there were numerous witnesses present who may be able to assist with the investigation. Anyone with information is being asked to contact police at 1-866-876-5423, ext.7441 or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222.