A Richmond resident is sounding the alarm for community safety, saying nothing has been done about a woman he says has been verbally assaulting Garry Point Park staff and users for the past year.
Sen Kwong, who frequently visits the park, said he is concerned about a woman he has heard yelling at people in the park’s parking lot and around the park.
Kwong told the Richmond News that while he has never had direct contact with the woman, he first noticed her yelling from her car in the parking lot last fall.
“I asked a friend who was with me at the time who she was screaming at, and he said no one but herself,” he said.
“We avoided the area at the time because we didn’t want to get involved, but you could really hear her from far away, and it was quite scary.”
However, other Richmondites have not been as lucky.
According to Kwong, several park goers have experienced “unprovoked verbal assaults laced with profanity” by the same woman in separate incidents where Richmond RCMP officers were called.
“I understand she has also thrown dog feces on somebody once, and SPCA has been called at least once because her dog is never on a leash,” said Kwong, who heard about the incident second hand.
“Something needs to be done before somebody gets hurt. I hope she gets the help she needs, but park goers are also entitled to a peaceful and safe environment when they go to a city park, especially one that is as popular as Garry Point.”
Richmond RCMP spokesperson Cpl. Ian Henderson confirmed with the Richmond News that there have been a number of disturbances in and around Garry Point Park involving a woman who allegedly has been verbally aggressive towards people.
A team consisting of an RCMP officer and a mental health professional is working on the case, according to Henderson.
“They have identified a possible suspect and are working to locate her to assess her mental well-being,” he said, adding that the woman has no fixed address and is known to frequent the park.
“To date, any allegations of physical interactions appear to have been minor in nature.”
The public are encouraged to avoid engaging with this person directly and report any aggressive behaviour to the Richmond RCMP.
