WARNING: This article contains upsetting content and may affect those who have experienced sexual violence or know someone affected by it.
Montreal police are asking for the public’s help in identifying a man in his thirties suspected of sexually assaulting women and exposing himself to them at McGill University and Université de Montréal libraries.
Investigators in the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal‘s sexual assault unit have linked the man to three incidents at the two libraries thanks to video surveillance footage but have yet to identify him.
The incidents are alleged to have taken place in June, August and September of 2023. Police are offering up to $3,000 in rewards for information that could help them identify the suspect.
Police say the man would approach women and ask them for help finding books on the shelves. When the women had their backs to him, he would rub up against them and expose himself.
Investigators describe the man as being white, in his 30s and speaking French and English. He stands five feet nine inches and has short brown hair. He may have blue eyes. He was seen wearing a baseball cap, a blue backpack and black shoes. He also wore cyclist gear beneath his clothing.
Anyone with information is asked to communicate with Info-Crime Montréal at 514-393-1133 or on its website. People can also get in touch with police at their local station or by calling 911.
Investigators in the Montreal sexual assault unit are working within Quebec’s Serial Crime Investigation Management Structure, the structure de gestion des enquêtes sur les crimes en série (GECS), because several victims have been identified in the incidents tied to the suspect.
According to Montreal police, the structure is co-ordinated by Quebec provincial police to pool police resources to help arrest suspects of multiple crimes.
For anyone who has been sexually assaulted, there is support available through crisis lines and local support services. The Montreal Sexual Assault Centre (MSAC), Regroupement québécois des centres d’aide et de lutte contre les agressions à caractère sexuel (RQCALACS) and Crime Victims Assistance Centres (CAVAC) are available in Montreal and across Quebec.