Man stabbed in the back multiple times while waiting in Tim Hortons lineup
Police say the injuries were life-threatening but the victim is now expected to survive
UPDATE, Jan. 26, 2022 — A man, 27, has been arrested and charged with one count of aggravated assault in connection with the Jan. 22, stabbing at a Tim Hortons restaurant in Vancouver's Harbour Centre.
A 25-year-old-man is in hospital recovering from life-threatening wounds following an unprovoked attack on Saturday.
Vancouver police say the man was standing in line inside a Tim Hortons restaurant in downtown Vancouver's Harbour Centre around 6:20 a.m. when a man approached him from behind and repeatedly stabbed him in the back.
"This disturbing incident has all the hallmarks of a random attack that came completely without warning, and we're increasingly worried about the public's safety," said Sgt. Steve Addison.
"We don't know if there was a motive for this attack, and the fact that it appears random and unprovoked is extremely concerning."
Vancouver police say the victim has been here on a tourist visa from Mexico since October and neither the victim nor the suspect is known to each other.
He was rushed to the hospital where he is expected to survive.
Police have released video surveillance of the incident in the hope it will help the public identify the suspect.
The video shows the suspect watching the victim as he enters the restaurant and stands in line. He then charges the man and repeatedly stabs him as the man falls to the ground.
The suspect then flees the restaurant.
Warning: The following video contains visuals of a stabbing
The suspect is described as:
- A man in his 20s.
- Around six feet two inches tall.
- Short black hair and slim build.
- Wearing a grey hoodie with a black hood and sleeves.
- Wearing a black and white facemask with a Crooks and Castle logo.
The Vancouver Police Department says there's been a string of unprovoked violence in the city over the past month.
Last week, police released a video of a woman being randomly assaulted on New Year's Eve in downtown Vancouver.
Addison says data from Sept. 1, 2020, to Aug. 31, 2021, found there were 1,555 unprovoked stranger assaults involving 1,705 victims.
"We recognize these incidents cause significant anxiety and trepidation in the community," he said.
"It's important that we talk about them so we can solve these crimes and people can make informed decisions about their personal safety."
Anyone with information is asked to contact police.