Police investigating an assault in Gosnells on Saturday 20 February 2021 are seeking the public's assistance for information.
Around 6.20pm, a 40-year-old woman and her teenage daughter were walking along Corfield Street, between Verna Street and the Corfield Shopping Centre when a man approached them.
The man yelled racial obscenities at the woman before spraying a can of deodorant in her direction. The man lit the spray, turning the can into a makeshift flamethrower, and attempted to burn the woman with the flame. The man left on foot along Verna Street and was last seen on Dwyer Crescent in Gosnells.
The man is described as fair skinned, around 40 years old and approximately 175cm tall. He was wearing a black button up long sleeve shirt, black baggy trousers and an oversized red necktie, he had a white swastika painted on his forehead.
Detective Senior Sergeant Sean Bell, Officer in Charge of the State Security Investigation Unit, said "We are treating this cowardly and random attack on a woman and her child, doing nothing more than walking to the shops in the early evening, very seriously. This type of behaviour is not acceptable and is not tolerated within our community. We have allocated all of our available resources to locate this man. Someone in the community knows who this person is and we are asking that member of the community to contact us and assist in identifying this person".
Police would like to speak to the man pictured who they believe can assist them with this investigation.
Anyone who can identify the man, or who has any information regarding this incident, is urged to call Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000 or report the information online at www.crimestopperswa.com.au.
