Man sought in attacks on women

Victoria police are warning the public after two women were targeted in separate incidents by what appeared to be the same man on Sunday, one of which is being investigated as an attempted kidnapping.

Officers were called to Bastion Square around 11 a.m. after a woman reported that she was approached by a man who grabbed her, brandished a knife and told her to come with him.

She escaped his grasp and fled, and was not physically injured. Officers did not locate the suspect, who is described as a Caucasian man around 45 years old and wearing a long, black trench coat, dark sunglasses and a black tuque. He had long hair worn in a pony tail, walked with a slight limp and spoke with what the victim described as a FrenchCanadian accent.

The description resembles that of a suspect in an incident early Sunday that occurred in the area of Blanshard and Johnson streets. Shortly after 3 a.m., a man approached a woman from behind, grabbed her and tried to force her to go with him.

The woman got away uninjured. Both should be commended “for their courage and for their tenacity,” said acting Victoria police spokesman Bowen Osoko. “They got away, they got themselves safe and they called us right away, which means that they’ve actually done a lot to help keep the community safe, too,” he said.

Anyone who recognizes the suspect or has information about either incident is asked to call police at 250-995-7654 or contact Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.