Man hurt in unprovoked stranger attack in Vancouver, police say

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 03/12/2024 (373 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

VANCOUVER – Police are investigating an assault in downtown Vancouver where a stranger hit a man in the face in an unprovoked attack.

Vancouver Police say the attack happened over the weekend on West Georgia Street in front of the Hudson’s Bay store, where surveillance cameras caught the assault on video.

The footage shows an identified suspect leaning near the store’s wall, then suddenly lunging at the 28-year-old victim as he walked by, striking him in the face with an elbow.

The attack knocked the victim onto the ground, while the male suspect is seen running away.

Police say the victim suffered facial injuries but didn’t need to go to the hospital.

Investigators are now asking for the public’s help in identifying the suspect and providing more details on the attack, as the video shows a number of people waiting at a nearby bus stop who witnessed the assault.

“These eyewitnesses may have important information about the suspect’s behaviour and state of mind at the time of the assault,” says Vancouver Police spokesman Sgt. Steve Addison in a written response.

“Given this level of random violence, we have serious concerns that another innocent person could be assaulted and badly injured by this suspect,” Addison says. “It’s imperative that we work quickly to gather all evidence from eyewitnesses and take this person into custody as soon as possible.”

Other unprovoked stranger attacks in September, just a few blocks away from the latest assault, led to the death of one person, while another man’s hand was cut off.

A 34-year-old man from White Rock was later arrested.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Dec. 3, 2024.