The Boulder Police Department is currently searching for an individual accused of physically assaulting a blind man on the Fourmile Canyon Creek Trail earlier this month. The incident, which took place around 11:45 a.m. on Tuesday, November 5, involved the blind victim being struck on the shoulder and insulted with the term “schmuck” by an unidentified passerby, as reported by KDVR.
Despite being visually impaired, the victim was capable, with the aid of a screen reader, to capture an image of the suspect before he fled the scene. According to Denver 7, the blind man was accompanied by his marked service dog at the time of the assault. The use of a screen reader, a device that vocalizes text on a screen, allowed him to snap a photograph of the suspect which he then shared with law enforcement as part of the ongoing investigation.
In a notable act of civil responsibility, despite the suddenness of the attack, the victim asked the man to wait while police were being contacted, however, the suspect did not comply and escaped the area. The Boulder Police Department is making efforts to identify the man based on the photo provided by the victim. Within the image, as noted by The Denver Gazette, the potential suspect appears alongside a small white dog, suggesting the assailant himself was also a dog walker at the time of the altercation.
Authorities have taken the allegations seriously and are urging anyone with information on this incident to come forward. The Boulder Police Department continues to appeal to the public for assistance, hoping that someone might recognize the suspect captured in the photo taken by the blinded but quick-thinking victim. The case highlights the unique challenges individuals with disabilities encounter and the community's role in safeguarding vulnerable populations against unwarranted aggression.
