Edmonton police are looking for help identifying a man suspected of offering a woman a ride home, but instead taking her to a secluded area and sexually assaulting her around Canada Day.
The incident happened around 1:30 a.m. on July 2, when a woman near Jasper Avenue and 113 Street was attempting to secure an Uber ride home.
That’s when police said an unknown man in a car stopped and offered her a ride for free.
Police have since confirmed the suspect is not an Uber driver, and did not identify himself as such when offering the ride.
When the woman got into the vehicle, police said the man drove her to a residential construction site in the Blatchford neighbourhood and sexually assaulted her.
He then drove away, leaving the woman behind in the sparsely-populated under-construction area of central Edmonton.
An Edmonton Police Service composite sketch of a sexual assault suspect.
Edmonton Police Service
The male suspect stated his name was “Pharoah” and that he was from Egypt, EPS said.
He is described as approximately 29 years old with short black hair, well-groomed facial hair, a muscular build, and an “Arabic” accent. His approximate weight and height was not provided.
Police said the suspect was reportedly wearing a button-up long-sleeved dress shirt and dress pants. He drove a black Audi, believed to be the A4 model, police said.
B.C. man posing as Uber driver charged with sexual assault
Police have released a composite sketch of the suspect in hopes it may lead to tips about his identity.
Due to the nature of the sexual assault, EPS said investigators believe there may be additional complainants and are asking anyone who may have experienced a similar incident to come forward.
Anyone who believes they may have been victimized by the suspect, or who has information about the suspect’s identity is asked to contact the Edmonton Police Service at 780-423-4567 or #377 from a mobile phone.
Anonymous information can also be submitted to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online.