Unsolved Oak Harbor Safeway assault case closed

Police closed an investigation into an assault that allegedly occurred in the back room of Safeway in Oak Harbor. No arrests were made. Detective Sgt. Teri Gardner with the Oak Harbor Police Department said a “person of interest” in the case was identified after an image from a surveillance video was posted on the department’s Facebook page.

Police closed an investigation into an assault that allegedly occurred in the back room of Safeway in Oak Harbor.

No arrests were made.

Detective Sgt. Teri Gardner with the Oak Harbor Police Department said a “person of interest” in the case was identified after an image from a surveillance video was posted on the department’s Facebook page.

The victim, however, wasn’t able to identify the suspect in a photo montage she was shown.

An officer called the “person of interest,” who has moved out of state, but didn’t obtain any additional information to move the case along.

“We have no other recourse than to close the case,” Gardner said.

The Safeway employee reported that she was working in the back room of Safeway March 30 when a customer assaulted her. She claimed a man put her in a choke hold and tried to kiss her.

The incident was extremely upsetting to the woman, who shakes uncontrollably when discussing the incident.

The woman claimed both the police and Safeway managers mishandled the case and didn’t take it seriously.