Woman allegedly attacked, sexually assaulted at Vancouver SkyTrain station, police say in appeal for witnesses
Police are hoping the public can help identify a suspect after a woman was allegedly sexually assaulted at a Vancouver SkyTrain station over the weekend.
In an update Wednesday, police said a woman was approached by someone at the 29th Avenue SkyTrain station at about 12 a.m. Saturday.
The person asked the woman for the time, then allegedly approached her and blocked her path multiple times while trying to make conversation. According to police, the suspect then "wrapped their arms around her, groped her and forced her to the ground."
Police said the woman "courageously fought back and pushed the suspect away." Police also said the suspect allegedly pushed the woman down a set of stairs and took her phone. The woman punched the suspect, yelled for help and was able to get her phone back.
The woman reported the attack to police that same day.
"Reducing sexual assaults is an operational priority for Metro Vancouver Transit Police. Every report is taken seriously and investigated fully," Const. Mike Yake said in a news release Wednesday.
"A predatory attack like this is very concerning. We are using every means available, including the media, to identify this suspect quickly. The public has helped us solve crimes in the past, and we are confident that will be the case here as well."
Police describe the suspect as being in their early 20s. They are about 5'9" tall and have a medium build. Police said the suspect has short or medium-length black hair "with a red tint," and was wearing a black jacket with large, white lettering down the back at the tiem. They also had on black plants, black shoes with a yellow sole and black nail polish. Police did not indicate the gender of the suspect.
Surveillance video of the suspect shows them pushing through the SkyTrain fare gates, without tapping a card.
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information about the suspect is asked to call transit police at 604-516-7419.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
More than 115 cases of eye damage reported in Ontario after solar eclipse
More than 115 people who viewed the solar eclipse in Ontario earlier this month experienced eye damage after the event, according to eye doctors in the province.
B.C. seeks ban on public drug use, dialing back decriminalization
The B.C. NDP has asked the federal government to recriminalize public drug use, marking a major shift in the province's approach to addressing the deadly overdose crisis.
Last letters of pioneering climber who died on Everest reveal dark side of mountaineering
George Mallory is renowned for being one of the first British mountaineers to attempt to scale the dizzying heights of Mount Everest during the 1920s. Nearly a century later, newly digitized letters shed light on Mallory’s hopes and fears about ascending Everest.
Orca calf that was trapped in B.C. lagoon for weeks swims free
An orca whale calf that has been stranded in a B.C. lagoon for weeks after her pregnant mother died swam out on her own early Friday morning.
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau on navigating post-political life, co-parenting and freedom
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
Powerful tornado tears across Nebraska, weather service warns of 'catastrophic' damage
Devastating tornadoes tore across parts of eastern Nebraska and northeast Texas Friday as a multi-day severe thunderstorm event ramped up in the central United States.
Toxic testing standoff: Family leaves house over air quality
A Sherwood Park family says their new house is uninhabitable. The McNaughton's say they were forced to leave the house after living there for only a week because contaminants inside made it difficult to breathe.
Trump's lawyers try to discredit testimony of prosecution's first witness in hush money trial
Donald Trump's defence team attacked the credibility Friday of the prosecution's first witness in his hush money case, seeking to discredit testimony detailing a scheme between Trump and a tabloid to bury negative stories to protect the Republican's 2016 presidential campaign.