VANCOUVER — A suspect is in custody after he allegedly attacked three strangers — including stabbing a man in the face — in downtown Vancouver Monday night.
In a news release Tuesday, Vancouver police said a 30-year-old man has been arrested in connection to the violent crime spree, the latest in what has become a growing number of stranger assaults in the city.
Police received multiple reports about a man with a knife in the city's downtown core and the West End at around 8:30 p.m.
"Patrol officers flooded the area and located several people who had been assaulted and were in distress," said Sgt. Steve Addison in the release.
Investigators say they believe the suspect first approached a 21-year-old man near Emery Barnes Park and asked to borrow the man's vape pen.
When the man refused, the suspect then allegedly pulled out a knife and attempted to stab him.
"Police believe the suspect then walked to a restaurant on Davie Street, where he stabbed a 65-year-old man in the face, before attacking a 25-year-old woman on Hornby Street," said Addison.
Both victims were taken to hospital to be treated for non-life threatening injuries, police said.
"VPD identified a suspect after collecting a significant amount of evidence from the crime scenes," said Addison.
Officers then located and arrested the suspect at an apartment building in Mount Pleasant around 3 a.m. Tuesday.
Police said the string of stranger assaults were among a series of violent crimes reported Monday night.
"VPD is also investigating after a man was stabbed in the chest in the Downtown Eastside, and after a man showed up at hospital with stab wounds to his shoulder," said Addison.
Police added that they don't believe those incidents are connected.
