Suspect arrested after daytime stabbing in downtown Vancouver
Vancouver police arrested a man Wednesday afternoon who they believe had been chasing people with a knife.
Witnesses told CTV News it appeared the suspect was assaulting people he didn’t know, and at random.
Just after noon, a man was spotted leaving the 7-Eleven at Smithe and Beatty streets. Moments later, witnesses saw him begin to attack people.
Others saw what looked liked victims trying to flee the scene.
“I saw a gentleman running down the street,” said Lisa Callender, who works at a salon on Cambie Street.
”It was like running, not like ‘I’m going to try to catch the bus, it was like ‘I need to get out of here,’” she said.
Police tape was strung at various spots along Smithe and Cambie streets, where most of the assaults occurred.
“Like it was just chaos,” said Shannon Jefferson, who also works at a salon.
“Clients were like ‘get out,’ and the guys who were walking to the salon were kind of freaking out,” she said.
Police confirmed at least one man was stabbed, and images obtained by CTV News show he was struck in the side.
“Our officers deployed immediately. They arrived on scene, they were able to take the suspect into custody” said Const. Tania Visintin of the Vancouver Police Department.
The victim was taken to hospital but police say his injuries were not life-threatening and that he has been released.
BC Emergency Health Services said two patients were taken to hospital by ambulance. Police confirmed, when asked, that the second person transported was the suspect.
A knife, a culinary blowtorch and a lighter were found at the scene.
Other witnesses said it appeared the suspect was trying to burn people or set them on fire.
“What led up to this incident, what causes suspect to do that, our investigators are working hard to determine,” said Visintin.
Anyone with information is urged to call 604-717-2541.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Indian envoy warns of 'big red line,' days after charges laid in Nijjar case
India's envoy to Canada insists relations between the two countries are positive overall, despite what he describes as 'a lot of noise.'
Stormy Daniels describes meeting Trump during occasionally graphic testimony in hush money trial
With Donald Trump sitting just feet away, Stormy Daniels testified Tuesday at the former president's hush money trial about a sexual encounter the porn actor says they had in 2006 that resulted in her being paid to keep silent during the presidential race 10 years later.
U.S. paused bomb shipment to Israel to signal concerns over Rafah invasion, official says
The U.S. paused a shipment of bombs to Israel last week over concerns that Israel was approaching a decision on launching a full-scale assault on the southern Gaza city of Rafah against the wishes of the U.S.
Former homicide detective explains how police will investigate shooting outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion
Footage from dozens of security cameras in the area of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion could be the key to identifying the suspect responsible for shooting and seriously injuring a security guard outside the rapper’s sprawling home early Tuesday morning, a former Toronto homicide detective says.
Northern Ont. woman makes 'eggstraordinary' find
A chicken farmer near Mattawa made an 'eggstraordinary' find Friday morning when she discovered one of her hens laid an egg close to three times the size of an average large chicken egg.
Susan Buckner, who played spirited cheerleader Patty Simcox in 'Grease,' dead at 72
Susan Buckner, best known for playing peppy Rydell High School cheerleader Patty Simcox in the 1978 classic movie musical 'Grease,' has died. She was 72.
Jeremy Skibicki has 'uphill battle' to prove he's not criminally responsible in Winnipeg killings: legal analysts
Accused killer Jeremy Skibicki could have a challenging time convincing a judge that he is not criminally responsible for the deaths of four Indigenous women, a legal analyst says.
Bye-bye bag fee: Calgary repeals single-use bylaw
A Calgary bylaw requiring businesses to charge a minimum bag fee and only provide single-use items when requested has officially been tossed.
Alcohol believed to be a factor in boating incident after 2 men die: N.S. RCMP
Two Nova Scotia men are dead after a boat they were travelling in sank in the Annapolis River in Granville Centre, N.S., on Monday.