A 45-year-old man has been charged following a series of racist incidents in Burnaby, including an attack on a stranger and a confrontation on a city bus.
Police said they received a report around 4 p.m. Thursday that someone had "racially abused a member of the public" and then attacked the victim near Parker Street and Alpha Avenue.
Officers found a suspect while patrolling on Hastings Street, and were then approached by employees of a nearby liquor store who accused the man of stealing booze the same afternoon.
Hours later, they received a report that someone had been making "racist and sexist comments" on a transit bus earlier in the day – a troubling incident that was apparently recorded and shared online.
Authorities said they believe the same suspect is responsible for all three incidents.
Raul Miguel Rubio-Alabau is charged with assault, mischief, theft under $5,000 and uttering threats.
