Charges laid in attempted sexual assault in Riley Park

Calgary police have charged an 18-year-old man in connection with an attack on a young woman in Riley Park on Tuesday evening.

It happened at around 10:45 p.m. Police said a woman walking through the park with two friends was approached by a man who asked to speak with her. When the woman walked away from her friends with the man, it’s alleged he pushed her to the ground and attempted to assault her, ripping her clothes in the process.

The woman was able to fight off her attacker and alert her friends, one of whom chased after the suspect.

Watch below: A man is in custody following an attempted sexual assault in a popular Calgary park. Gary Bobrovitz has the details.

1:56 Man arrested after attempted sex assault in Calgary park

Police said a Good Samaritan who was entering Riley Park saw the chase and was able to temporarily stop the suspect. When he ran off again, he was stopped a short distance away by the group, who were able to detain him until police arrived.

“I believe that by his actions that he prevented further trauma to the victim,” Staff Sgt. Bruce Walker said of the Good Samaritan. “In saying that, we always err on the side of caution—people may possess weapons. Any opportunity to call police right away would be the ideal course of action for safety reasons.”

Police said the Good Samaritan was assaulted while attempting to restrain the suspect and received minor injuries.

Watch below: Calgary police say the actions of a Good Samaritan helped prevent further trauma in an attempted sex assault, but urge caution in such situations.

0:19 Calgary police urge people to call police before becoming involved in dangerous situations

On Thursday, police announced Grayson Reed White, 18, of Calgary is charged with assault and sexual assault with a weapon. He’s scheduled to appear in court on July 26.

Police said it was a random attack with no known motive.

The victim has been offered community supports and Walker said she is doing as “well as can be expected at this time.”

He emphasized the importance of staying alert when walking outdoors.

“It’s always important to be situationally aware of your surroundings, any time you’re walking through anywhere—whether it’s a park, down the sidewalk… Always have your wits about you.”

Watch below: Calgary police say it’s important to ‘always have your wits about you’ following an attempted sexual assault

0:29 Calgary police say it’s important to ‘always have your wits about you’

– With files from Erika Tucker