Vancouver police are looking for a man involved in “an unprovoked and random assault” of a woman on New Year’s Eve. The incident was captured on video.
Security video shows a woman walking along West Georgia Street in front of Hotel Georgia when a man walking in the opposite direction grabs her.
Police said the woman was thrown against the exterior wall of the hotel and held down.
“The victim was able to free herself from the suspect’s hold. She last saw the suspect walking East on West Georgia Street,” Const. Tania Visintin with the VPD said in a release.
“This video clearly shows the unprovoked and random nature of this disturbing attack. Unfortunately, these types of incidents are happening more often in the city, and it’s led to many people feeling less safe when they’re alone in public.”
The suspect is described as a white, middle-aged man, police said. At the time of the assault, he was wearing grey pants, a black jacket on top of a black shirt with a logo in the middle and a black toque. He was wearing headphones and carrying a blue bag.
The victim is Asian, Visintin confirmed. Police are investigating the incident as possibly racially-motivated.
Anyone with information is asked to call VPD investigators at 604-717-4022.