A 49-year-old woman suffered a significant gash to her nose after being sucker-punched while walking to work Wednesday evening along the Galloping Goose trail in Saanich.
The attack occurred just before 5 p.m. near the 3300-block of Douglas St., or just south of the Red Lion Inn. The woman was walking alone to her job when three young men approached from the opposite direction. One of the men broke away from the group and punched the woman in the nose with a closed fist.
"The assault was entirely unexpected and there had been no conversation between the two," said Saanich police Sgt. Scott Treble. "Investigators believe that this was a random incident."
The woman was taken to hospital where she was treated for the gash in her face and a lot of swelling.
The suspect is described as a white man in his late teens or early 20s. He had shoulder-length blonde hair and was wearing shorts and a black T-shirt with white writing or a design on the front.
The assault happened during rush hour on the Goose and investigators are asking any witnesses to come forward and call Saanich police at 250-475-4321.
kslavin@saanichnews.com