A sex trade worker was assaulted by a middle-aged man with a knife Monday evening as she was walking along Princess Avenue in downtown Chilliwack.
Police said the woman ran to a nearby apartment building for help, but the man followed her, and tried to force her to go with him.
But when a tenant of the building appeared, the suspect fled in an older-model red Dodge or Ford pickup truck.
The victim told police she had met the man before the 5:30 p.m. incident, but investigators have not determined if the attack was targeted.
The suspect is described as a white man in his mid-30s to mid-40s, with a very short "army style" hair cut. He is between 5'7" and 5'10" tall, weighing about 180 lbs.
The victim also told police the man walks with a limp, smokes a pipe, and may have a tattoo on one of his hands.
The pickup truck has silver trim with a dirty-white or beige canopy and a loud exhaust.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Chilliwack RCMP at 604-792-4611 or leave an anonymous tip with Crime Stoppers at 1-888-222-TIPS.