Man Uses Live Python as Weapon to Attack Victim in Street Assault: Police

A man allegedly used a python to attack someone during an assault in Toronto, according to police.

Suspect Laurenio Avila, 45, from Toronto, is alleged to have attacked the victim with the living snake at about 11:50 p.m. on Wednesday, May 10.

Police in Toronto "responded to a call for a man threatening people with a python snake in the Dundas Street West and Manning Avenue area," according to a statement.

The police report stated that the man allegedly walked down the street while holding the python and then approached the victim.

"There was a physical altercation and the man used the python to attack the victim," it said. "Police arrived on the scene quickly and the accused was placed under arrest."

Officers then charged Avila with "assault with a weapon" and causing unnecessary pain and/or suffering to an animal.

Police didn't share any injuries the victim had suffered during the attack or whether the python was harmed.

Pythons aren't venomous and due to their lack of fangs, they instead squeeze their prey to death. They are also known to attack animals much larger than themselves.

The statement said Avila "appeared in court on Thursday, May 11, 2023, at Old City Hall via video link and was remanded into custody."

According to the Toronto Police Service said there were 21,394 reported assaults in the city in 2022. It added that the number of assaults with a weapon that year was 3,896.

Police reporting since 2014 indicated that 2022 had the highest number of assaults in Toronto over the past eight years.

According to the Canadian criminal code, cruelty to animals is considered a hybrid offense, which means it can be a summary conviction or an indictable offense.

It added: "If you are convicted of this crime, the maximum penalty for an indictable offense is five years in prison. If the charge is prosecuted as a summary conviction, the maximum sentence is a fine of $10,000 ($7,398), a jail term of two years less a day, or both.

"The charge of cruelty toward cetaceans is treated as a summary conviction and the maximum fine is $200,000."

Anyone with information has been asked to contact police at 416-808-1400, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), or at www.222tips.com.

There have been instances across the world where pythons have attacked people, including in Queensland, Australia.

Earlier this year, Joey Zayne was on his way home when he was bitten on the head by a hanging python in an apparently unprovoked attack.