'I felt so violated,' says a woman who says she heard a camera click and then saw a cell phone pointed at her knees

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – A disturbing incident on a Vancouver transit has one woman thinking twice about taking the bus. She says a man took a photo up her skirt while she was riding the bus last week.

Kezia Addison was riding the bus near Stanley Park on Wednesday, when she heard a camera click. “I looked down, and there was a phone, sideways on the seat in front of me, facing towards me, pointed at my knees.”

She tells us she then confronted him. “He denied it, but I persisted and at one point, I did say to him, ‘If you’re going to take a photograph of me, I’m going to take a photograph of you.”

Addison says the man showed her his phone, but only when it was a black screen. She says another woman claimed to have seen the photo on his phone.

“I feel he may have deleted the photo — I at least hope he deleted the photo — he was sort of shuffling around on his phone while I was yelling at him about this.”

Addision posted the photo she took of the man to social media. In her post, she warned women that these kinds of things do happen. She also hoped that someone would recognize the man and call the police.

“I felt so violated. I never felt that violated before. It was awful,” she tells NEWS 1130.

“I’ve been feeling better and I feel more supported right now. But it makes me think twice when I know I’m getting on the bus, that’s for sure.”

The reported the incident to Transit Police.

Sgt. Clint Hampton with the force confirms investigators are looking into the incident.

“The bus has been identified. We do have an approximate time… bus footage has been requested. The investigators, when that’s received, will be reviewing the footage,” he explains.

“[Incidents like this] do occur. It’s infrequent, when you look at how many passengers and riders ride the system on a daily basis, without incident.”

Hampton adds if anyone ever feels unsafe, they should report it immediately. “If you’re a victim to a crime or witness a crime, you can discreetly text us — that goes directly to Transit Police dispatch, so we can send out officers. That number is 87-77-77.”

You can also call Transit Police at 604-515-8300. But if it’s an emergency, you should call 9-1-1.

Addison says she’s heard of these kind of things happening, but didn’t think she would experience it herself. “I just never thought that it would have happened in Vancouver or to me.”