Police confirm attack

UPDATED: 1:33 p.m.

While not offering up specifics, the RCMP have commented on the attack that left a Vernon teen badly beaten and bruised.

Police say they received the call about 4:20 a.m. on Wednesday. They arrived to the 4400 block of 25th Street to find the teen who reported the attack. 

The police statement confirms Courtnie Richardson's account of what happened. 

The Police statement reads "The woman was apparently walking through the Harwood Elementary School property when the suspects allegedly tried to grab her backpack. The woman was reportedly punched by one of the individuals and she was then able to get away without the suspects taking her backpack." 

RCMP do not have a description of the two suspects but are asking anybody with information to contact police. 

Anyone who has any information about this incident is asked to contact Vernon RCMP at 250-838-6818.

Richardson told Castanet that moments before she was attacked she heard footsteps. 

""Then they [footsteps] started speeding up  so I got a little concerned and then I just felt something grab onto my back and then I got hit in the face."  

The attack left Richarson with two fractures to her face for which she now has to get permanent bolts put in her chin area. 

"It's scary because I grew up here and like she said we're able to go out riding our bikes and now you can't even walk down the street," says Amy Tucker, mother.

"I think women should carry something on them at all times no matter what age you are." 

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ORIGINAL: 5:00 a.m.

A young Vernon woman says she was attacked right outside her home.

Courtnie Richardson, 18, was walking home at about 3:30 a.m. Wednesday morning when someone jumped her from behind.

"I was walking and I heard a couple footsteps but people walk around here  all the time so I was like 'whatever,"' she said. "Then they [footsteps] started speeding up  so I got a little concerned and then I just felt something grab onto my back and then I got hit in the face."  

"I dropped to the ground and I blacked out for a second, then my head hit the ground  and then I got one more punch to the face and blood just started spewing out and I started screaming."

The young woman lives just off 25th Street and 45th Avenue and she says was only 20 seconds away from her front door when the incident occured.

Because of the fact, Courtnie was right outside her home when the incident occurred, her boyfriend heard her screams and came running.

After seeing her horrific state he quickly called an ambulance.

Courtnie suffered two fractures to her face and she now has two get bolts put in her chin area that will remain in forever.    

She thinks the suspects were after her backpack but when she started screaming they took off.

 Courtnie's mother plans to hold her daughter a little tighter from now on.

"It's scary because I grew up here and like she said we're able to go out riding our bikes and now you can't even walk down the street," says Amy Tucker, mother.

"I think women should carry something on them at all times no matter what age you are," Courtnie said. She isn't sure how many people attacked her because she says they came at her from behind.

Courtnie and her mother have opened a file with Vernon RCMP and are asking the community to contact the police with any information they may have.

Castanet has reached out to police but has yet to receive a reply.