The Vancouver Police Department is investigating a possible hate crime after a security guard was violently assaulted and robbed.
The 26-year-old guard, who is described as being of South-Asian descent, was repeatedly kicked and punched in the early morning of Aug. 4. He had been guarding his post in the lobby of a residential building on the 500-block of Pacific Boulevard.
The VPD Hate Crimes unit has also become involved because of comments that were overheard during the assault.
The Surrey man had asked a small group of people who were being loud to either move from the area or come inside when he was attacked by one of the men in the group, according to police. The man also took the guard's wallet and cell phone.
"Seeing the assault on video was very disturbing," said Const. Jana McGuinness. "This is not a minor assault; this is a significant, violent assault."
According to police, the assault was so violent that two Good Samaritans were moved to intervene and call police. They later waited with the guard until police arrived and he was taken to hospital for treatment.
Police have released surveillance images from the night of the attack, and anyone with information about the identity of the man pictured is asked to call Vancouver Police at 604-717-2541 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
