Vancouver police warn of violent sexual predator
Vancouver police warn of violent sexual predator
BY MARY FRANCES HILL, VANCOUVER SUN OCTOBER 18, 2009
VANCOUVER — Police are warning the public about a violent sexual predator after a woman was beaten and sexually assaulted early Sunday in a Point Grey Road park.
At about 12:30 a.m., a 24-year-old Vancouver woman was walking alone on a sidewalk bordering Hastings Mill Park next to the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club on Point Grey Road when she was attacked from behind, according to police spokeswoman Jana McGuinness.
The man punched her many times in the head and face and dragged her toward the centre of the park, police said.
As she struggled, he dragged her to the playground on the west side of the park where he sexually assaulted her and fled, said McGuinness.
The woman was taken to hospital with severe bruising and injuries to her face, and released later Sunday.
The man is described as 5-foot-5 to 5-foot-8 inches tall, clean-shaven, with medium-toned skin. He had a medium build and was wearing a hooded sweatshirt and jeans.
The man covered much of his face with a handkerchief, and police have no indication of his age, she said.
“Stranger-on-stranger attacks are rare, but this one was particularly violent,” said McGuinness.
“We know that this will have a heavy emotional toll for the woman. It’s concerning for the neighbourhood, and it’s concerning for the police.”
McGuinness said the victim is a reliable and cooperative witness who is very confident the man addressed her in a British accent.
She said investigators will liaise with the RCMP to check for any similarities to the slaying of Wendy Ladner-Beaudry, the 53-year-old runner killed in Pacific Spirit park last April.
They’ll also look for links between Dean Robert Zimmerman, a violent sexual offender now at large and Sunday’s attack, she said. However, the victim’s description of the Hastings Mill Park attacker doesn’t match that of Zimmerman, who police say is five feet nine inches and heavy-set at about 205 pounds.
Last week, the RCMP issued a Canada-wide warrant for Zimmerman, who has a history of violent offences in B.C. and is deemed “extremely high risk to re-offend and targets adult females,” according to a news release.
Hastings Mill Park sits on Point Grey Road, between Highbury and Alma streets, dividing the historic Hastings Mill Store museum and the Royal Vancouver Yacht Club.
On its west side, a line of trees separates the park’s small playground from the yacht club. By day, the park is popular with young families and dog owners.
On the night before the attack, both the museum and the yacht club had hosted events that attracted crowds on both sides of the park.
McGuinness said police are hoping anyone who frequented the park or attended the events at either the museum or the yacht club will come forward with any observations of suspicious vehicles or activity.
“We know there were a couple of events in this area last night and there could have been people who saw something or heard something.”
Jennifer Clewes, who lives directly across from Hastings Mill Park, said she was awakened at about 1:30 a.m. Sunday by police lights and saw police tape blocking access to the popular area.
She said the park is nearly always populated at night with young people who gather in groups and set bonfires on the beach.
“I’m just sick that this happened here.”
Though she said she’s disturbed by the incident, she doesn’t want to restrict her own freedom.
“If you walk around thinking you could be a victim, you’re more likely to be a target.”
Point Grey resident Leslie Fenn walks her two dogs in Hastings Mill Park every night at around 10 p.m. Sunday’s attack has made her think twice about being in the area by herself.
“I don’t think I’ll go out alone at night any longer. Even though I have two dogs with me, and I always carry my cellphone, I won’t be going out without my partner.”
Vancouver Rape Relief and Women’s Shelter collective member Aurea Flynn said random attacks by strangers are not as common as those within intimate or casual relationships.
“This is an abnormal attack. There’s no question that every woman fears this. It’s a nightmare.”
The Vancouver Sun
http://www.vancouversun.com/news/Vancouver+police+warn+violent+sexual+predator/2117367/story.html
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