Photo: Google Street View

What started out as a fun, family evening in downtown Kelowna turned ugly for a local woman, who says she won't be going downtown anytime soon.

Ashley, who's six months pregnant, says a man she believes to be homeless, took a swing at her outside a Bernard Avenue coffee shop.

It's just the latest in a string of incidents involving the downtrodden in the city's downtown core.

While the incident occurred prior to the long weekend on Aug. 3. Ashley says she came forward after reading about a local woman who had a bottle thrown at her, and concerns for safety expressed by downtown businesses.

"I thought he was going to hit my son, who is seven. I pulled my son away and said, 'excuse me, please don't go and hit my child,' and he told me he wasn't trying to hit my child, I was trying to hit you in the stomach," she said.

Ashley says she went for dinner with her son and husband, and after dinner, her son asked if he could have a treat.

"We went to Blenz to see if they had any cookies my son might like."

She says there were two people who appeared to be homeless just inside the coffee shop, and one of them began talking to her.

"I didn't want any interaction, so I just ignored it which I think made him mad," she continued.

Ashley says the man lit a cigarette inside the coffee shop and stood in front of the entrance.

"My husband had to walk by him first, then the guy walked out with me and my son.

"I got nervous about that, so I moved my son from the right side to the left of me because I felt uncomfortable."

She says that's when the man then took a swing.

Ashley and her family lives near downtown and she says she likes to take her son for a walk in that area to get some exercise.

"I won't be going that direction anytime soon," she says. "I'm scared, and I don't feel safe anymore."