Violent offender arrested after serious assault against partner in West Vancouver

Homes in West Vancouver's British Properties are seen in this undated image. (Shutterstock)

West Vancouver police say they arrested a violent offender in the British Properties neighbourhood Wednesday, in an incident that drew a significant number of officers to the area.

Police said they were called to the neighbourhood Tuesday evening after getting several reports of a woman in distress with "evident physical injuries."

When police got to the area, they found the woman, and learned she'd been the victim of a serious assault by her intimate partner. The pair had been staying at a short-term rental on King Georges Way.

Officers surrounded the home and discovered the suspect, who has not been identified by police, was on parole from Ontario and has "a history of violence and possession of weapons including firearms," police said.

Few details were shared while the incident was unfolding, and the public was asked to stay away from the area. 

"The suspect was later observed in the home with a large knife," a statement from the West Vancouver Police Department issued Thursday said. "A prolonged operation ensued as officers worked to negotiate with the suspect and effect a safe arrest."

The suspect surrendered to police just before 9 a.m. Wednesday, and was arrested. He's since been charged with a assault causing bodily harm, assault by choking, and possessing a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

He remains in custody until his next court appearance on May 24.

"This was a serious and dynamic investigation for us with a lot of moving parts," said Sgt. Chris Bigland in a news release.

"Intimate partner violence is a serious criminal offence with significantly different dynamics than other crimes."

According to data shared by the province last year, women are three times more likely to have been victimized by an intimate partner than men. The large majority of intimate partner violence victims – about 80 per cent – said they didn't report the incident to police, according to the province. 

Nationwide statistics show there were 117,903 police-reported victims of intimate partner violence aged 12 years and older in 2022. 

"This event's inclusion of a history of violence, drug and alcohol consumption and the possibility of firearms in a residential community required a thorough and calculated response," Bigland said. "We are confident that our actions maintained public safety at a level in keeping with our community's expectations and are pleased that a conclusion without further escalation was achieved."

A list of resources for those experiencing gender-based violence is available here. If you are in immediate danger or fear for your safety, you should call 911.