Vancouver police are investigating what appears to be an unprovoked assault of a young Asian woman on April 12.
Police said she was waiting at a bus stop near Granville and West Pender streets when the suspect approached and punched her in the face. He then fled on a bus.
There was no communication between the victim and the attacker, police said.
“We are investigating this as a stranger assault and the motive is unknown,” said Sgt. Aaron Roed. “If this is a hate crime, we will be investigating it as that.”
The suspect is described as a man in his mid-20s with a medium build. He was wearing a dark T-shirt with a distinctive deer emblem on the front. He was wearing a grey, long-sleeved shirt underneath his T-shirt and a beanie-style hat with grey and yellow stripes.
Vancouver police are asking anyone with information about this incident to call their major crime section at 604-717-2541 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.
Police have said previously they have seen a large increase in reports of anti-Asian hate-motivated incidents. Eleven of the 15 hate crimes reported in April had an anti-Asian element.
Twenty anti-Asian hate crimes have been reported to Vancouver police so far this year, compared to 12 in all of 2019.
Vancouver police looking for witnesses to East Vancouver assault
Police are hoping two witnesses to an assault on April 22 will also come forward.
The assault took place in East Vancouver, near Franklin and Slocan streets, around 9 p.m.
The 51-year-old victim was outside his home at the time and police believe the two witnesses on bicycles stopped to confront the suspects.
It is not known at this time if this was an unprovoked assault or if the victim knew the suspects.
Police are asking the two cyclists or anyone who can identify them, or who has information about the assault, to contact major crime detectives at 604-717-2541 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.