Police: Man who sexually assaulted 9-year-old in Edmonds grocery store suspected in another attack



EDMONDS, Wash. -- A man who allegedly sexually assaulted a 9-year-old girl inside a market was spotted an hour later trying to assault another girl at a different store, police said.

On Sunday, Edmonds police released photos of the man who allegedly groped a girl at the Ranch 99 market on 22511 Highway 99. Police surveillance video showed the male suspect following the young victim around the store before touching her private area.

He then ran off.

Police now say the man went into a Lynnwood H-Mart store one our after the first assault and tried to assault another young girl. Edmonds police released new photos of the suspect Friday.



"We need to find this guy," police said.

He's described as white male in his 50s to 60s with a possible goatee.  He was last seen wearing a blue shirt and dark shorts.

Video showed the man walking around the store in the first attack.

“He doesn’t have a cart, doesn’t have a hand basket, spends a lot of time wandering around,” said Sgt. Shane Hawley with the Edmonds Police Department.

Hawley says around 4 o’clock Saturday afternoon two girls and one of the parents were in the supermarket. The girls were looking at items in the store when the man approached them.



“Looks like he was following them around a bit in the store and then when he had an opportunity he came up behind them, cut them off actually and grabbed her in her private area and then quickly fled the scene,” said Hawley.

The little girl told her mother who then called the police.

“It’s very, very concerning to us, if he’s willing to do this in public in front of other people, then what else is he willing to do,” said Hawley.

If you know his name or have any other information, submit an anonymous tip to Crime Stoppers by using the P3 Tips App or by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477). It is anonymous and there is a cash reward of up to $1,000.