Toronto police say 8-year-old boy assaulted, searching for suspect

Toronto police say they are searching for a suspect after an eight-year-old boy was sexually assaulted Thursday morning.

Officers said they were called to the area of Islington Avenue and Rexdale Boulevard around 10 a.m. with reports of a sexual assault.

They said a woman was shopping in a department store with her son, who was browsing in the toy section of the store. Police said an unknown man followed the boy around and then assaulted him.

The man is described as five feet nine inches tall with a medium build and short black hair. He was last seen wearing a bluish button-up shirt with blue jeans and a dark-coloured backpack.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 416-808-2300 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-8477.