Two months have passed since a woman was injured in a knife attack in Oak Bay. No one has been arrested and police have not said whether the attack was random or targeted.
Many residents are anxious for information about the investigation. But Oak Bay police Deputy Chief Ray Bernoties said he can’t give an update on the assault other than to say “we continue to work closely with the Saanich detectives who remain actively engaged in this investigation.”
“We sincerely understand the public’s desire for more information but, at times, complex investigations require that we limit publicly shared information.”
On April 25 around 7:30 a.m., a man broke into a home overlooking Willows Beach and attacked a 45-year-old woman with what was described as a machete. She suffered serious injuries.
The man fled, sparking a manhunt across the region and prompting nearby schools to implement a “secure and hold” procedure where outer doors are locked.
The woman was able to call 911 and later told detectives she did not know her attacker. It’s unclear if the man left on foot or in a vehicle or whether he stole anything. Police searched for the weapon but have not said if one was found.
There are questions as to why the attacker broke in at 7:30 a.m., when the area was busy with people walking their dogs on the beach and leaving for work.
Acting Oak Bay Mayor Kevin Murdoch said he has had several conversations with Oak Bay residents asking about the investigation. Saanich police’s major crime section is handling the case, since Oak Bay contracts major investigations to the larger department. “[The police] have been very cautious in terms of what they’re releasing to the public,” Murdoch said. “And there’s certainly some community interest in terms of getting more information and seeing a resolution.”
Murdoch said a violent home invasion is rare in Oak Bay. “Just the nature of it, someone entering somebody else’s home and having a violent attack, it hits home to a lot of people,” he said. “I don’t think it’s unreasonable to have interest in the public.”
Larry McMillan, an Oak Bay resident of 20 years, said he walks by Willows Beach several times a week and would like to know whether the attack was random or targeted. “It’s always on our minds.”
Julie Helms, administrator for an Oak Bay Facebook group, said immediately after the attack some residents were asking for more information. But Helms, who grew up in Oak Bay, said she feels totally safe in the community and trusts that Oak Bay and Saanich police are on top of it. “With a case this serious, they like to keep information to themselves,” she said. “It’s natural to have those questions like ‘what’s happening?’ … but they seem to be on it.”
Neehal Alireza, the home’s owner, told the Times Colonist two days after the attack that her daughter is doing fine and that police told her not to say anything about what happened.
Through a freedom of information request, the Times Colonist obtained a dispatch record for the case, outlining what happened in the first hour after the 911 call. Some details were withheld because the investigation is ongoing and for privacy reasons.
7:25 a.m. The victim makes the initial 911 call
7:26 a.m. The first Oak Bay police officers are dispatched to the scene
7:32 a.m. B.C. Ambulance paramedics are en route to the call
7:35 a.m. Oak Bay officers call Saanich police requesting the identification team and detectives
7:41 a.m. Saanich police arrive on scene
7:45 a.m. Yellow Cab is called (likely to determine if the man fled the scene in a cab)
7:47 a.m. Victoria Taxi is called
7:48 a.m. Victoria police units are requested for patrol at south border/Oak Bay Marina and shoreline
7:49 a.m. Bluebird Cabs is called
7:50 a.m. B.C. Transit is advised of the manhunt
7:55 a.m. B.C. Ambulance transports victim to Victoria General Hospital
7:56 a.m. A canine unit is called out to help in the search
8:03 a.m. Officers check the bathrooms in Willows Park
8:26 a.m. Foot traffic is stopped from coming down the stairs adjacent to the home
8:34 a.m. From her hospital bed, the victim gives an updated description of the attacker
8:37 a.m. Other police departments and B.C. Transit are advised of the suspect’s description
