City police are asking the public to be “vigilant” as they investigate the report of a suspicious male linked to two separate incidents in the west end earlier this week.
At approximately 2:30 p.m. on Wednesday, a 17-year-old girl was walking on Knudson Drive near Shaughnessy Crescent in Kanata when a male walking toward her from the opposite direction allegedly inappropriately touched her.
The girl continued walking at a faster pace and subsequently observed the male drive by in a dark green van.
“This incident is very concerning,” Ottawa police Staff Sgt. John McGetrick of the sexual assault/child abuse unit said Thursday. “There was physical contact. It was a very aggressive move.”
Several days earlier on Monday, an 11-year old boy and his friend said a male in a dark-coloured van followed them as they walked in the area of Salter Crescent at around 5 p.m.
“We don’t want to create fear-mongering, but we want people to be warned,” said McGetrick.
“There’s probably a lot more people walking than usual with the bus strike. We want them to be vigilant — people with bad intentions might take advantage of the situation.”
McGetrick suggests that people walk in pairs, and let someone know when they are leaving an area or when their expected arrival time is.
