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Vancouver police search for suspect who threw hot coffee at Tim Hortons employee's face

Police in Vancouver are asking for the public's help in identifying a person who threw coffee at a Tim Hortons employee, described as a 25- to 30- year old woman with a medium build, black and green shoulder-length hair, and wearing a black T-shirt, black jeans and black boots with a black rain jacket on the day of the incident. (VPD/submitted - image credit)

Vancouver police are asking for the public's help in identifying a person who threw hot coffee at a Tim Hortons employee on Wednesday morning.

Authorities said a woman entered a Tim Hortons near Pender and Abbott Street in the Downtown Eastside at around 10 a.m. PT on Oct. 20 and ordered a coffee.

A surveillance video shows the female employee handing the woman a cup of coffee, which she then threw back at the employee's face.

"This employee was just trying to do her job," Const. Tania Visintin said in a news release. "It's appalling that she was subjected to this type of abuse and it's extremely fortunate that she was not seriously injured."

She said the incident is being reviewed by the Vancouver Police Department's Hate Crime Investigators to determine if elements of hate, prejudice or bias were factors.

In addition to the surveillance footage, police have also released two images of the suspect in an attempt to find witnesses.

Police are describing the suspect as a 25- to 30- year old woman with a medium build. She has black and green shoulder-length hair and was wearing a black T-shirt, black jeans and black boots with a black rain jacket.

She was also wearing a black face mask and carrying a backpack with a camouflage pattern.

Anyone with information on the attack is asked to call Vancouver police at 604-717-4021.