Man charged after Vancouver attacks that left 1 dead, 1 injured

Brendan Colin McBride, 34, has been charged with aggravated assault and second-degree murder in connection to a pair of attacks in downtown Vancouver on Wednesday that left one man dead and another with a severed hand.

The charges were sworn by Crown prosecutors Thursday afternoon.

McBride appeared in court on a separate charge Thursday. He was wearing a grey sweatshirt and sweatpants in the prisoner's box of a Vancouver provincial courtroom. At one point McBride sat on the ground and later released a wordless wail. 

Vancouver police said around 7:40 a.m. PT Wednesday they received reports of a man who had been attacked near Cathedral Square at Richards Street and Dunsmuir Street.

Officers found a man in his 50s who had been attacked with a knife, was bleeding from his head, and had one hand severed.

A Vancouver Police Department (VPD) spokesperson said he was taken to hospital for emergency treatment and is expected to survive.

Less than 10 minutes later, officers were called to West Georgia Street and Hamilton Street after a second man was attacked outside the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. First responders were unable to save the man's life.

Police say they arrested the suspect shortly afterwards at Habitat Island near Olympic Village. He remains in custody.

The homicide victim has been identified by police as 70-year-old Francis David Laporte. VPD Sgt. Steve Addison said Thursday that investigators had yet to contact Laporte's next of kin, and it wasn't known if he has any family. Addison said he was a longtime Vancouver resident.

Hand reattached

Police did not release the name of the man who survived the attack, citing privacy concerns. He remains in hospital. On Thursday, Addison confirmed the man had undergone surgery and had his severed hand reattached. 

"This is an extremely violent, horrific attack on this man which resulted in part of his arm being completely cut off. We were able to retrieve the limb," said Addison.

"Obviously he's got a long road to recovery, not only from his physical injuries, but from his emotional injuries as well."

Criminal record

VPD Chief Const. Adam Palmer said Wednesday that McBride, who was on probation at the time of the attacks, had more than 60 documented contacts with police and that he "appears to be a very troubled man."

B.C. court records show two cases prior to this week's charges, beyond violation tickets, including an assault in North Vancouver in January 2021, as well as assault and resisting arrest charges in White Rock in September 2023.

McBride's next court appearance is scheduled for Sept. 18.