Victoria police say they are looking for a suspect after a 64-year-old woman was assaulted in the Burnside-Gorge neighbourhood while taking a photo of a dog.
VicPD said shortly before 2 p.m. on Aug. 6, they were called to Cecelia Ravine Park in the Burnside-Gorge area for a report of an assault.
The woman told officers that she was working in the gardens at the Burnside Gorge Community Centre when she spotted a black Labrador dog sitting alone by the ravine.
She said she was concerned for the dog’s safety and was wondering if it was lost. So she approached the dog and used her phone to capture images of it.
The woman reported being assaulted from behind by a man while taking photographs. She reported that the man pushed her to the ground and then took her phone and threw it into the ravine.
The woman went into the nearby community centre and called police. Police said she received non-life-threatening injuries in the incident, but declined medical attention.
The man reportedly left the area accompanied by a woman and the dog.
The suspect is described by police as a Caucasian man in his early 20s, 5’6″, with a slim build.
He was wearing a football jersey with the number 44 on the back, and a baseball hat and shorts. He was accompanied by a woman described as riding an orange bicycle, with pink hair and a crop top.
Police said the victim reported that the man and woman moved to a nearby tent, which they allegedly quickly packed up before fleeing the area prior to police arrival.
An officer helped the woman search for her phone in the ravine. It was found damaged and cannot be repaired.
Anyone with information about the suspect or the incident is asked to call the VicPD non-emergency line at 250-995-7654 ext 1.
To report what you know anonymously, please call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
CHEK News
