Man found seriously injured in Strathcona Park after assault, police say
Police appeal for information, say man was lying in the park for about 12 hours before officers were called
Vancouver police are making a plea for information to people living near one of the city's biggest homeless encampments after they say a man was found seriously injured in Strathcona Park due to an assault.
Officers received a report late Monday that a man had been lying in the park for some time, according to a police statement Wednesday.
The man was found unresponsive and was taken to hospital, where it was quickly determined he had been the victim of a serious assault, the statement said.
The man, who police have yet to identify, is in critical but stable condition, said Vancouver Police Department Const. Tania Visintin.
Police believe he might have been lying on the ground for up to 12 hours before the 911 call was made.
"This is a disturbing case considering how seriously the victim was assaulted and the length of time he was lying on the ground injured without any help," she said.
The man is described as either white or Indigenous, in his late 20s, with dark hair and a beard on his chin.
Anyone with information about the identity of the victim or the assault is asked to call Vancouver police at 604-717-2541 or, if they wish to remain anonymous, Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.