Whitehorse RCMP look for suspect in 2 attempted sexual assaults

Police in Whitehorse are asking for help to find the suspect in a couple of attempted sexual assaults over the last two days.

In a news release, RCMP said the first incident happened at about 11:30 a.m. on Wednesdayon the Valley View Escapetrail, along the west side ofthe Alaska Highway.

According to police, a woman was walking along the trail when a man stumbled out of the bushes. She asked if he was OK, and the man reportedly dragged her into the trees and attempted to assault her.

The woman managed to fight him off and escape, police said.

A similar incident happened late Thursday morning, police said but they provided no details of that alleged attack.

RCMPsaid the victims inboth incidents described a similar suspect: an Indigenous man in his late 30s, ofaveragebuild, about five feet 10 inchestall, with dark, medium length curly hair. He was wearing jeans, black or brown shoes, and a dark sweater.

Police are asking anyone who may have been in the area on Wednesday or Thursday and saw something suspicious, or if they saw someone matching the suspect's description, to contact them at867-667-5555.

They're also looking for two potential witnesses who were walking their dog on the trail on Wednesday when the first incident happened. They're described as an older man and woman, possibly in their 60s.