Two charged in connection with service dog incident at Milton's Restaurant in Kitchener, Ont.
Two people have been charged in connection to an alleged November assault at Milton's Restaurant in Kitchener, Ont.
Police responded to Milton’s Restaurant on King Street near Fairway Road at about 6:40 p.m. on Nov. 10 after receiving reports that a man was being assaulted.
A social media video went viral showing a man with a service dog being forcibly removed from the premises.
In a release by the Waterloo Regional Police Service issued Monday morning, authorities said a 53-year-old male was charged with one count of assault and a 54-year-old male was charged with one count of assault and one count of uttering threats.
In a previous interview with CTV News, the owner of Miltons Restaurant confirmed the two men involved were his sons, who managed the restaurant, and the video doesn’t tell the full story.
The alleged victim, Justin Leckie, said he has Asperger syndrome and his dog Epi helps him with general anxiety, panic attacks, and depression.
“Just relieved that the police came to a conclusion,” Leckie told CTV News. “I’m glad that there’s been some measure of justice served.”
Police said the charges were laid on Saturday after an extensive investigation that required multiple witness interviews and video analysis.
“It’s unfortunate. There no one winning here,” Leckie’s uncle Scott Puncher said. “No one in our family is celebrating this. It was a terrible, challenging thing for Justin.”
Leckie said he hopes his story will bring more awareness to the Ontario Disability Act.
“It’s important that people respect the rights of people with disabilities who have service animals in public places,” Leckie said.
Leckie credited the outpouring of community support for helping him get through the difficult time.
