Toronto Police say the attempted abduction of an eight-year-old Etobicoke girl was much more serious than many first believed.

Officers are asking the parents and teachers of young children to remain vigilant.

Police from 23 Division said the incident occurred last March 19 at around 12:27 p.m. when officers responded to a call for unknown trouble at St. John Vianney Catholic School, in the Albion Rd. and Islington Ave. area.

Duty Insp. Michael Williams said children were playing outside at lunchtime at the south end of the school, when a man approached the girl and attempted to put her over his shoulder and flee.

Williams said other children in the playground noticed what was going on and approached the man, which seemingly scared him off. Police say he left the girl and appeared to flee toward the Humber River ravine.

Police said the child didn’t sustain any injuries and it is unclear if she was targeted.

The man is described as white, six-feet-tall, with a heavy build. Officers are concerned that the suspect was dressed in all black, police said.

He was wearing a black ski mask, black baseball hat, black sweater, black gloves, black pants, black shoes and carrying a black backpack, police said in a release.

The principal put the school in lockdown immediately, and students were brought inside, police said. All children were accounted for.

The Toronto Catholic District School Board said in a statement that it is “deeply troubled” by the incident and urged anyone with information to contact police.

Several other schools in the area were also put on hold and secure. All alerts have been lifted.
Police continue to look into the reports and urge anyone who was in the area, that may have dashcam or security camera video, to contact police.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7474, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477) or online at www.222tips.com.