Durham Regional Police are searching for a man after a woman was violently sexually assaulted at Iroquois Beach Park in Whitby, Ontario, on the night of July 13, 2026. The attack unfolded along a sand path near Gordon Street and the Waterfront Trail, and police say the suspect remains at large.
The victim, an adult woman, was leaving the park around 10:15 p.m. when she was attacked from behind. Police say the man dragged her off the path into a wooded area, made threats, and sexually assaulted her before she managed to escape. She then flagged down a passing driver, who called 911.
“She was solo on that trail and that’s when this person, this suspect, came up from behind her and grabbed her and dragged her into the forest,” Const. Nicholas Gluckstein of the DRPS told reporters. The woman was taken to a local hospital and has since been released.
Officers, along with the K9 Unit and Drone Unit, conducted an extensive search of the park and trail system, but the suspect was not found. Police describe him as a Black male with shoulder-length corn row hair, wearing all black clothing.
Detectives from the DRPS Special Victims Unit are leading the investigation. They are asking anyone who was in the area of Gordon Street and the Waterfront Trail on the night of July 13 to come forward, especially anyone with cellphone video, dashcam footage, or home surveillance that could help identify the suspect.
The Durham Regional Police Service says it is increasing patrols at Iroquois Beach Park and along the Waterfront Trail. “Police will be increasing patrols in and around Iroquois Beach Park and the Waterfront Trail as the investigation continues, to help ensure the safety of residents and others using the trail system,” the service stated in a news release.
Anyone with information is asked to contact D/Cst. Jiggins of the Special Victims Unit at 1-888-579-1520 ext. 5312. Anonymous tips can also be submitted to Durham Regional Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), where tipsters may qualify for a cash reward of up to $2,000.
