NEWS RELEASE
YORK REGIONAL POLICE
*******************************
Investigators with the York Regional Police Special Victims Unit – Sexual Assault Section, continue to appeal for assistance to identify a suspect wanted for a sexual assault that occurred in the City of Vaughan.
On Tuesday, Aug. 10, 2021 at approximately 12:30 p.m., York Regional Police responded to a transit bus shelter located in the area of Highway 7 and Keele Street for a report of a sexual assault.
Officers learned that a male suspect entered a transit bus shelter where the female victim was sitting. The 20-year-old victim stood up to exit the shelter and the suspect sexually assaulted her by touching the victim inappropriately. The suspect fled the area on foot into a parking lot along Keele Street, prior to police arrival. The suspect was not known to the victim.
Investigators also learned that approximately 10 minutes after the incident, the suspect followed a woman out of a business and repeatedly tried to speak with her. The woman got into her car and the suspect came up and began tapping on her window. Employees at the store saw the incident and yelled at the suspect to leave. The woman took the suspect’s picture and drove away.
Investigators are releasing video and additional photos of the suspect and are appealing for assistance to identify him.
Suspect described as:
• Male, dark skin
• Wearing a red t-shirt, black pants and headphones
• Carrying a red backpack
A sexual assault includes any non-consensual contact of a sexual nature. York Regional Police would like to encourage anyone who feels they may have been a victim of a sexual assault to come forward and report the incident to police. There is no statute of limitations for sexual offences and offenders can be prosecuted well after the date of the offence.
If you are the survivor of sexual assault, you can report the incident online if:
• You are not in danger
• The person who assaulted you is not present
• There is no evidence present that may be collected by police (blood, semen, saliva, etc.). Evidence can be collected for up to 12 days after the sexual assault has occurred
• You have access to a private email address, to which the suspect does not have access
Use the following link for more information and to make an online report.
Anyone with information is asked to call the York Regional Police Special Victims Unit – Sexual Assault Section at 1-866-876- 5423, ext. 7071, or contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-TIPS, or leave an anonymous tip online.
*******************************
