North Vancouver RCMP say they have received numerous tips and found one person of interest in the shocking assault of a senior in her Lynn Valley apartment last week.
Police say an 89-year-old woman was home alone at her retirement complex around 2:30 p.m. Thursday when a stranger knocked on her door and asked if he could use her washroom. He was dressed as a construction worker, wearing white disposable overalls with a hood. After being invited inside, the man exposed his genitals before he assaulted the victim, according to police. After a short altercation, the man fled.
Police released a composite sketch of the suspect based on the victim’s description on Friday. “We’ve received several tips because of the media exposure and of course the composite drawing. People are extremely interested and wondering how could this happen and are willing to come forward with potential persons of interest for us to investigate,” said Cpl. Richard De Jong, North Vancouver RCMP spokesman.
By Tuesday afternoon, police had brought in one person of interest for questioning. The victim is doing well under the circumstances, according to police, and she was not seriously injured. Following the assault, the victim called for help and was taken to the hospital where she was treated for minor injuries.
“The investigators who interviewed her commented on her bright and light-hearted attitude, even joking with them at times. That being said, obviously we want to catch this individual and we want to help her as much as we can,” said North Vancouver RCMP Const. Brett Cunningham.
Police describe the suspect as 20 to 30 years old with a slim build, standing between 5-10 and six feet tall. He had black hair, dark eyes and olive skin. Under the white overalls, he wore navy pants and a navy sweater. “Our investigators are working diligently on this file but need help from the public.If you recognize the person depicted in the composite drawing, investigators want to hear from you,” he added.
