Victoria police have released a video of a vehicle of a potential witness to an arson at the home of a Ukrainian Catholic priest and his family.
The video of the vehicle in the 1100 block of Caledonia Avenue in the early morning hours is shown once at full speed, and then a second time at half-speed for easier of identification, police said.
The potential witness was driving a light-coloured, possibly white, four-door vehicle.
Father Yuriy Vyshnevskyy had to catch three of his daughters jumping out an upper floor window. His wife, who had been helping the young girls escape, was rescued by firefighters on a ladder.
The arson is being called a hate crime by the Ukrainian Canadian Congress, and police are investigating the motive.
The family said the fire was started was started after someone poured gasoline through the mail slot,
One of the daughters received severe cuts from broken glass.
Detectives with VicPD’s Major Crimes Unit are investigating the incident as an arson and are asking for your assistance. Investigators are seeking to identify and speak with a potential witness who drove past the scene moments before the fire was set.
Police ask anyone with information about this incident to call them at 250-995-7654, extension 1. To report what you know anonymously, call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
