Vancouver man 'critically injured' in Granville Street stabbing, police say

Granville Street is seen on Jan. 1, 2021.

A 25-year-old man was "critically injured" in an early morning stabbing in Vancouver's downtown core Saturday, and a 21-year-old man was arrested, according to Vancouver police.

The incident happened "as thousands of people packed the Granville Entertainment District amid relaxed COVID-19 restrictions," the Vancouver Police Department said in a news release.

Shortly before 2 a.m., officers who were patrolling the busy area intervened in a violent assault at Smithe and Granville streets, police said.

"Officers from VPD’s Emergency Response Team provided immediate first aid to stem the bleeding before the man, a Vancouver resident, was taken by ambulance to hospital for emergency surgery," police said. "He is now expected to survive."

A 21-year-old man from Surrey was arrested at the scene, and the investigation is ongoing, the VPD said.

“VPD deployed additional officers in the downtown core Friday night, as capacity limits were lifted at bars and restaurants throughout the province,” said VPD spokesperson Sgt. Steve Addison, in the release.

“Large crowds began entering the downtown core in the early evening, with some lining up early at nightclubs and hundreds wandering the entertainment areas. This led to multiple conflicts on the street.”

The department said it would continue to deploy extra officers along Granville Street downtown "throughout the long weekend."