HSC warns staff about groper

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This article was published 21/11/2017 (2888 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Health Science Centre emailed staff security tips Tuesday after three female employees reported being groped by a man while walking to work.

The hospital’s tips included advising staff to pay attention to their surroundings, have their keys ready and don’t walk alone.

Police described the attacks as despicable.

“When I use the word despicable, I use it for a reason,” Winnipeg Police Service spokesman Const. Jay Murray said.

“These three women are probably going to remember what happened for a long time. They were incidents that happened in probably less than a minute, but they were very traumatizing.”

The three women reported being grabbed from behind by a man Tuesday morning as they walked from their parked cars on the way to the hospital. They described the man as thin and wearing a green army hoodie, khaki pants and dark gloves.

None of them saw the man’s face. There were no weapons or physical injuries reported, police said.

Two women reported the attacks immediately to hospital security, HSC spokeswoman Katherine Fox said by email.

Hospital patrols in the area surrounding Notre Dame Avenue and Emily Street were increased as a result. HSC security also reviewed video-surveillance footage for information that might assist police with the investigation, Fox said.

“The safety of our patients, staff and community is important,” Fox said.

The first two incidents happened at the Jacob Penner Park on Notre Dame at 7:10 a.m. and 8:20 a.m.

The park is a block wide, directly across from the Women’s Hospital and a busy stretch of roadway with thousands of motorists and pedestrians passing by the area daily.

The third incident took place about 8:45 a.m. at the Tecumseh Street parkade, a couple of blocks away at the other end of the hospital’s medical campus.

“An individual came upon these women from behind and grabbed them in a very serious manner,” Murray said, noting in each case, the man immediately fled the scene.

The women ranged in age from 21 to 44.

Police believe the same person is responsible for the three attacks. They said they expect footage from surveillance cameras will play a critical role in identifying the attacker.

The hospital maintains a 24/7 security presence, which includes monitoring the campus that spans several city blocks in the city’s core.

HSC’s security team provides information to all new staff at employee orientation sessions and security reminders are distributed to employees with tips for personal safety throughout the year via email and in newsletters, Fox said.

“We do our best to provide and support a safe environment, while also balancing the need to provide easy access to our facilities for care. We will continue to do so, and provide staff with information and tools they need to help protect themselves,” she said.

alexandra.paul@freepress.mb.ca