Police in Duncan are searching for a person who threw a baseball-sized rock at a 67-year-old man, knocking him to the ground and injuring him before speeding away laughing.

The victim was walking westbound along Sherman Road at around 10:15 p.m. Monday when he heard a passenger in a car yell something at him.

The passenger then tossed the rock, which struck the man in his lower back. He was knocked to the ground and the car sped off westbound on Sherman Road.

The attacker could be heard laughing as the vehicle drove away.

The assault appears to have been at random, according to police.

“This could have been tragic should the rock have hit him in the head,” said North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP spokeswoman Cpl. Krista Hobday.

The man has sought medical attention for undisclosed injuries.

Anyone with information is asked to call police at 250-748-5522 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.