BC Conservatives decry 'lawlessness' after gruesome Vancouver stranger attacks

After two grisly stranger attacks in downtown Vancouver, members of the BC Conservatives were quick to decry the crimes as the most recent example of the lawlessness and violence plaguing the city – directly contradicting statistics and assurances to the contrary provided by the chief of police.

The attacks – which were reported within minutes of one another just after 7:30 a.m. – left one man dead and another with a severed hand and knife wounds to the head, according to police. A 34-year-old man, who authorities say had a violent criminal record and was on probation for assault, was arrested roughly an hour and a half later.

With six weeks left until voters head to the polls in what will now be largely a two-way race between the governing BC NDP and the BC Conservatives – the latter issuing a media release saying violent crime has become "increasingly common" under Premier David Eby and his government.

"These latest assaults and killings are not isolated incidents—they are part of a broader pattern of lawlessness that has taken hold in our communities because of David Eby’s weak stance on crime and public safety,” said BC Conservative Leader John Rustad, in a news release.

“The BC NDP has prioritized the rights of criminals over the safety of our citizens, and it’s the people of British Columbia who are paying the price.”

In a joint news conference, Vancouver Police Department Chief Const. Adam Palmer and Mayor Ken Sim said the attacks were horrific, disturbing and apparently completely random.

Still, Palmer urged concerned residents and others to put the crimes in context, repeatedly describing Vancouver as a safe city overall while also saying crime, violent crime, and unprovoked stranger attacks are trending downward.

"Let me assure you that incidents like these – while high-profile and deeply disturbing – they are rare," he said.

"Vancouver is not dying, Vancouver is not dead, Vancouver is not unsafe. That's all hyperbole, and it's not actually factual," he later added.

In terms of statistics, Palmer said violent crime is down seven per cent and serious assaults are down 17.8 per cent year-over-year. Regarding unprovoked stranger attacks, the chief said they are "half of what they used to be." While he did not elaborate on that, CTV News has reported on the VPD data showing a steady decline in these attacks since their reported peak in 2021.

BC Conservative candidate Elenore Sturko took to social media to comment on Wednesday's attacks, saying they are indicative of a broader provincial failure to tackle this particularly public and unsettling type of crime.

"Two years ago when I became an MLA, Vancouver was plagued by random violent stranger attacks. Today, under David Eby and the NDP, nothing has changed," she posted on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Premier David Eby acknowledged that what happened in Vancouver Wednesday has left people shaken and fearful – while also commenting on public safety more generally.

"This is obviously a horrific attack on people who appear to be just going about their lives in downtown Vancouver. It's really a disheartening moment," he said.

"We make so much progress on driving down stranger attacks and reducing violent offenses in our province, and then something like this happens. And it shakes people's confidence again in a really profound way – and understandably so."

No charges have been approved in the case and the suspect has not been named.