VANCOUVER -- Mounties at a B.C. university say an unprovoked assault against an Asian woman has led them to appeal for witnesses.
The RCMP at the University of British Columbia say a woman was assaulted on March 27, shortly after 8 p.m. She was taking the garbage out in the alley behind University Boulevard near Allison Road, when a man approached her, police say.
"He used a racial term and then punched her in the head and stomach before running in an unknown direction," Mounties said in a news release. "The victim then hid and called 911."
The woman was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. She's since been released.
Police say the suspect is a man with a medium build. He's tall and was wearing a hoodie, sweatpants, runners and had on a dark face mask.
"This investigation is in the early stages and we are not ruling any motives including that this crime had an element of bias or hate involved," Mounties said.
Anyone with information should call the university's RCMP detachment at 604-224-1322 or Crime Stoppers if they wish to remain anonymous.
