Young girl evades masked man

Okotoks RCMP are looking for the public's help in identifying a bandana-clad man who chased a young girl on her way to school this morning.

The eight-year-old girl was approaching Crystal Shores Drive from a footpath while walking alone just before 8:30 a.m. when a man began chasing her. RCMP say the girl weaved between vehicles for a short time before running to a home of a family friend, at which time the man stopped the chase.

“I don't think she was targeted,” said Okotoks RCMP Const. Susan Ratchford, adding the girl is often driven to school or walks with siblings. “I think it's an opportunity that presented itself.”

The suspect is described as in his 20s, Caucasian with pale skin and wearing a black bandana on his lower face and a dark green zippered sweatshirt with the hood up. The sweater had a large black “x” on the back.

The girl described the man's eyes as blue or green in colour, and said she didn't recognize him, say RCMP.

The RCMP are treating it as a suspicious person and hope someone saw the suspect.

As a result of the incident, RCMP Sgt. Sukh Randhawa encourages parents and caregivers to watch for suspicious people before and after school.

He also suggests younger children walk to school in groups.

Randhawa encourages parents to tell their children that if they are chased by a teen or adult they don't know to make a lot of noise to draw attention to themselves and go to the nearest home to call 911.

The last incident of this nature occurred in Okotoks in November of 2015 when a man believed to be in his 50s approached a 10-year-old girl asking her to help him empty his trunk near Banister Drive. When she refused, the man was more forceful and the girl ran to her grandmother's house nearby and was unharmed.

The RCMP have notified schools in Okotoks of the incident.

Anyone with more information is asked to contact the Okotoks RCMP at 403-995-6400 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS(8477).