Gatineau Police set up a command post in the Mont-Bleu area from noon to 8pm on Wednesday in hopes of cracking a recent sexual assault case.
The command post was located at the corner of Boulevard de la Cité-des-Jeunes and Boulevard Riel. On Sept. 23rd, just after midnight, a woman walking nearby was violently attacked. She managed to break free and run away from her attacker.
The command post was set up so that people in the area could come forward with any relevant information. Investigators were also going door-to-door looking for tips. "Even if they think it's not an important one, just come. For us it could make the difference," says Const. Andrée East of the Gatineau Police.
On Friday, police released a sketch and details of the suspect. He is described as white, 35-40 years old, of medium height and a slight build.
This isn't the first time police have investigated an attack in this area. A few blocks away, at the CEGEP de l'Outaouais, people well-remember the death of Valerie Leblanc, a student found dead on a footpath behind the school in 2011. That case also remains unsolved.
Police are not prepared to link the two assaults. "It's really too soon to say," explains East. "But for sure with any investigation at all, any kind of case, we always try to make any relation with other files."
Police are advising the public to take precautions, including not walking alone whenever possible, especially at night.
