Suspect arrested after allegedly punching 2 people 'for no apparent reason': Vancouver police
A man was arrested Monday after he allegedly punched two people in random assaults, Vancouver police said.
In a statement Tuesday, police said a 65-year-old man and a 37-year-old man were assaulted in the city's Marpole neighbourhood, near Ontario Street and Southeast Marine Drive.
Police said the attack happened at about 3 p.m. First, the younger man was approached and the suspect "punched him in the face for no apparent reason," police said. The suspect then followed the older man and reportedly punched him in the head and wrestled him to the ground.
Police said witnesses came to help the victims and called police. Officers arrested the suspect before he fled.
"We have seen an alarming number of stranger assaults, both physical and sexual assaults that have occurred this spring and summer," Sgt. Steve Addison told CTV News Vancouver.
Addison said investigators aren't sure why there's been an uptick in those reports, but said officers are looking for similarities between incidents.
"Any time an incident is reported to the Vancouver Police Department, we take it very seriously," Addison said.
The suspect's name wasn't released but police said he's known to them and "has a violent past." He is facing assault charges, police said.
Neither of the victims were seriously injured.
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