More than 4 people attacked per day in Vancouver as 'stranger assaults' on the rise, police say
Vancouver police are warning the public after an uptick in “stranger assaults” in the city over the past year.
In a series of tweets, the Vancouver Police Department says its officers took a “deep dive into the numbers” of random attacks after noticing the startling trend.
Police say more than four people are the target of an unprovoked assault in Vancouver on a daily basis.
Officers found there were approximately 1,555 of these stranger attacks involving 1,705 victims that were reported from Sept. 1, 2020 to Aug. 31 of this year.
Of those incidents, 47 per cent involved weapons and 28 per cent of the suspects appeared to be living with a mental illness.
Twenty-four per cent of the victims were female and police say the majority of the victims were "simply going about their day: running errands, walking or visiting our city.”
Vancouver police say one recent attack happened when a man was running errands in the area of Quebec Street and West 10th Avenue, when a stranger came up behind him and cut his throat.
The victim suffered significant injuries and required emergency medical care. The suspect was arrested and charged.
In another incident, a woman was walking with her elderly father in the Trout Lake area when an unknown female - who police say appeared to be around 12 years old - walked towards her and punched her in the nose. Police have yet to identify that suspect.
Police say they were also called to reports of an “erratic and violent” man who started to randomly assault multiple people at a bus stop at Main Street and Terminal Avenue.
In that case, the suspect allegedly bit an officer and broke another officer’s arm during the arrest.
Police are asking anyone who witnesses one of these random attacks or who is a victim of one to call 911 as soon as possible.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Ontario Provincial Police arrest 64 suspects in child sexual exploitation investigation
Ontario Provincial Police say 64 suspects are facing a combined 348 charges in connection with a series of child sexual exploitation investigations that spanned the province.
AstraZeneca says it will withdraw COVID-19 vaccine globally as demand dips
AstraZeneca said on Tuesday it had initiated the worldwide withdrawal of its COVID-19 vaccine due to a 'surplus of available updated vaccines' since the pandemic.
WATCH LIVE 'Summer of discontent': Federal unions vow to fight new 3-day a week office mandate
Federal unions are launching legal challenges and encouraging public sector workers to file "tens of thousands" of grievances over the new mandate requiring federal workers to return to the office at least three days a week in the fall.
Toronto police seek suspect vehicle after security guard shot outside Drake's mansion
Toronto police are seeking help from the public as they continue to investigate a shooting that seriously injured a security guard outside rapper Drake's mansion.
'Ozempic babies': Reports of surprise pregnancies raise new questions about weight loss drugs
Numerous women have shared stories of 'Ozempic babies' on social media. But the joy some experience in discovering pregnancies may come with anxiety about the unknowns.
OPINION What King Charles' schedule being too 'full' to accommodate son suggests
Prince Harry, the Duke of Sussex, has made headlines with his recent arrival in the U.K., this time to celebrate all things Invictus. But upon the prince landing in the U.K., we have already had confirmation that King Charles III won't have time to see his youngest son during his brief visit.
Seafood, eat food: Calgary Stampede releases Midway menu
The Calgary Stampede has released its menu of sweet, salty and spicy treats available on the Midway for the Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.
Boy Scouts of America is rebranding. Here's why they've changed their name
After more than a century, Boy Scouts of America is rebranding as Scouting America, another major shakeup for an organization that once proudly resisted change.
World's record-breaking hot temperature streak stretches through April
The world just experienced its hottest April on record, extending an 11-month streak in which every month set a temperature record, the European Union's climate change monitoring service said on Wednesday.