Despite Victoria police arresting a man in connection with a violent sexual assault in downtown Victoria last week, the RCMP are still looking for suspects in two other sexual assaults that occurred in the past week in Langford and Cobble Hill.
On Wednesday (July 24) morning, a police spokesperson said RCMP officers are still canvassing the area around 2763 Spencer Road for clues to identify a suspect in a sexual assault that happened in the Langford apartment building's stairwell at about 11 p.m. on Monday (July 22).
"We don't know who this suspect is, we don't how they obtained access to the building," said RCMP spokesperson Nancy Saggar. "We are concerned about public safety."
The victim sustained injuries in the assault and said they do not know the assailant.
"It's incredibly rare that we come across and offence of this nature," Saggar said. "Of course, we get sexual assault reports all the time, it's an unfortunate offence that does occur. However, in most cases the victims know who their assailants are."
This brings the number of similar cases over the past week to three, though at this time the RCMP do not believe this sexual assault is related to other two. Those include a violent sexual assault at 1:30 a.m. in downtown Victoria on July 18 and a sexual assault of an elderly woman in her Cobble Hill home just after 9 p.m. on Tuesday (July 23).
Each one of these incidents involves a male reported to be unknown to the victim.
Victoria police have arrested a suspect in connection with the July 18 incident, but have not yet provided a name or any other details. That incident involved a woman who said she was approached and taken by a man to a green space near the prominent tulip statues where she was threatened, then physically and sexually assaulted.
"I don't know if the descriptions match, but I can tell you that our officers from our special victims unit have been in contact with the Victoria police," Saggar said, adding, "There's nothing to indicate it's the same suspect."
The Langford suspect is described to be a man approximately 20 to 30 years old with light coloured skin, about five feet seven inches to five feet nine inches tall, who at the time of the assault was wearing a black hoodie with the hood up and black pants.
Police are asking any nearby residents who may have dash cam footage or home video surveillance to contact the West Shore RCMP at 250-474-2264.
The Cobble Hill suspect is described as a Caucasian man with a medium build who is between 18 and 32 years old, five feet 10 inches to six feet one inches tall and wearing a dark bicycle helmet, light coloured t-shirt and a face covering.
Because the suspect is still at large, Saggar encouraged the public to be extra cautious, and to make sure to identify anybody knocking at the door.
"That's the number one thing – to remain vigilant," she said. "And also, report any suspicious activity right away."
