Edmonton police say man still 'person of interest' in possible hate crime at LRT station
Man showed women rope and sang O Canada
Edmonton police have interviewed and released a person of interest in connection with a possible hate crime aimed at two women wearing hijabs.
"We can't hold him," EPS spokesperson Scott Pattison said Monday.
"Investigators need to corroborate his story."
Pattison wouldn't elaborate on what the man told investigators, but said police are now interviewing other witnesses to flesh out his side of the story.
On Dec. 5, police issued a news release saying they were looking for a man in connection with a possible hate crime at a south Edmonton LRT station.
Police said the man, believed to be in his 60s, approached two women wearing hijabs at the University of Alberta LRT station on Nov. 8, pulled a rope from his pocket, tied a noose and said, "This is for you."
He then sang O Canada, which was caught on video by one of the women, police said.
The day after police issued a picture of the suspect, he came in for questioning with investigators in the hate crimes unit.
Pattison added that hate crimes numbers in Edmonton are down in recent year. He said there is a lot of "grey area" when it comes to these kinds of investigations, and making charges stick.
In response to the incident, volunteers last week handed out fresh-cut carnations to women wearing hijabs at the U of A LRT station. The organizer, Janelle Venne, said the gesture was in the spirit of "fighting hate with love."