61-year-old woman suffers 'vicious' assault on Surrey bus, transit police say
CBC News | Posted: March 25, 2018 7:11 PM | Last Updated: March 25, 2018
Suspects believed to be a man and a woman, South Asian and in their 30s
An argument over a bus seat turned into a violent assault on a 61-year-old woman, who suffered a broken arm and cracked sternum, transit police say.
Metro Vancouver Transit Police are searching for a man and woman who they say are suspects in the March 20 assault, which spokesperson Anne Drennan described as "particularly vicious."
At about 6:30 p.m. that day, police say the victim boarded the 96B bus at Surrey Central SkyTrain Station.
She sat in the aisle seat beside the female suspect. The suspect told her she was saving the seat for her husband and an altercation ensued, Drennan said.
Attack escalates
The female allegedly used her hip and shoulder to force the woman off the seat and onto the floor. The husband sat down and the victim sat behind them.
When the victim tried to take a photo of the couple, Drennan said, the female suspect then allegedly snatched the victim's cellphone and threw it to the ground.
The suspect then grabbed the victim by her hair and struck her head and chest repeatedly on the metal handrail, police said.
"As she was doing this, she was screaming at her, threatening to kill her, saying if she had a gun she would shoot her," Drennan said.
The husband separated the women and allegedly grabbed the victim's phone.
The bus driver caught wind of the assault and pulled over to the next stop at King George Boulevard and 88 Avenue.
The two suspects disembarked. The victim, who was badly hurt, followed them to retrieve her phone, which had photos of the couple.
The man threw her phone to the ground, smashing it to pieces, Drennan said.
The couple then walked into the Bear Creek Business Plaza, while the bus driver called police.
Victim 'extremely traumatized'
Police say that the victim was taken to the hospital, where she was treated for a broken arm, a cracked sternum and minor head trauma.
"She's extremely traumatized," Drennan said, noting that the woman was a regular bus user.
"She's very stressed. She's very frightened. She's afraid to use the bus again."
Drennan said police have spoken to several witnesses, but they're hoping for more people to come forward.
Police describe the two suspects as:
- A South Asian female, 30 to 35 years old, five feet six inches, medium build, with long black hair in a ponytail. She wore a purple/maroon jacket with fur-trimmed hood, patterned leggings, purple socks and black shoes.
- A South Asian male, 30 to 35 years old, five feet ten inches, with short dark hair and a beard. He wore an olive-green hoodie with a light circle-shaped logo on the chest and a brightly-coloured hood lining, plus black shorts and black shoes. He carried a red Good Life fitness duffel bag.
Anyone with information is asked to contact transit police at 604-516-7419 and refer to file #18-5346 or text police at 87 77 77.