Man in ski mask grabbed boy walking home from school in Winnipeg, police say

Winnipeg police are asking for information about an incident this week where a male wearing a ski mask approached and grabbed a middle-school-aged boy walking home from school at lunchtime in the city's West End.

The boy was walking onEinarson Avenue shortly after noon when a stranger approached him, said something and grabbed hold of him, police said in a news release.

After abrief struggle the boy broke free and ran home where he told a parent what happened. The child was not physically injured, police say.

The male who grabbed the boy was last seen going northbound near the intersection of Banning Street and St. Matthews Avenue, and was possibly crossing through Orioles Park at the Valour Community Centre.

The male is described as wearing a plaid shirt and blue jeans, with a blue ski mask covering his face. Police said they'd communicated with the nearby Greenway School about the incident, and the school's administration has notified students' families.

Police encourage parents and caregivers to discuss a safety plan for school-aged children that includes going over the importance of calling out for help and reporting suspicious people or interactions to a trusted adult.

The police service's child abuse unit is asking anyone in the area who may have information or home video surveillance related to the incident to contact investigators at 204-986-3296.

Tipsters can also contact Crime Stoppers anonymously at 204-786-8477 or winnipegcrimestoppers.org