B.C. MLA Katrine Conroy back at work after random attack near legislature

A B.C. MLA is back at work after she was attacked while heading home from work last month.

Minister of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, Katrine Conroy says she was walking to her apartment not far from the legislature just after 8 p.m. on Dec. 7.

She says, out of nowhere, she heard someone coming up behind her.

“Then I don’t remember much else. Next thing I remember someone was helping me off the ground. I had been hurt,” she told CityNews Friday.

I’m very upset my friend Minister @KatrineConroy was knocked to the ground & hurt last night walking home from the Legislature. Kat’s one of the toughest people I know & she’ll continue working hard for people. I encourage any potential witnesses to please contact @VicPDCanada.

— John Horgan (@jjhorgan) December 9, 2021

Once she was in the hospital, she realized how bad her injuries really were.

“I had a broken nose, a concussion, lost one of my front teeth,” she said. “I had to get dental surgery, lots of scrapes and scars and things like that.”

Conroy says she’s spent the past month recovering at home and nursing her concussion by limiting her screen time.

She says the scariest part is how random the attack was.

“It is frightening, I’ve always felt I’m a strong individual, I’ve never felt not safe, and so I keep thinking through trying to rationalize what happened and it’s hard.”

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Victoria Police do not believe this attack was targeted and no arrests have been made at this point.

Conroy says knowing someone likely didn’t follow her out of the legislature gives her some peace of mind.

“I know for a person in a position like mine it makes me feel somewhat better.”

However, she says moving forward, she will be more aware of her surroundings.

“Women are already told to make sure you know what can happen to you and be prepared for it, but when it happens you’re not prepared for it,” she said.

Police continue to investigate, if you witnessed this attack or have dashcam footage from the area you are asked to contact Victoria PD.