Vancouver police are appealing for more witnesses or victims to come forward after a random spate of violence broke out last week near Waterfront Station.
Five people were punched seemingly at random around 8:30 p.m. on May 28 and several charges have since been laid against 32-year old Vancouverite Stuart Schneider: three counts of assault, one count of assault causing bodily harm, and one count of robbery.
CCTV footage suggests additional victims are out there but have yet to come forward to police. No weapons were used in any of the assaults — each victim was punched in the face or head area.
“It’s very important that they come forward and we look at the totality of these things,” media relations officer Sgt. Jason Robillard told reporters Thursday morning. “There’s a number of reasons why people, don’t call us – they might think it’s not worth it for whatever reason that they have.”
Schneider remains in custody. Four of the victims were treated on scene, while a fifth victim, a 37-year-old Burnaby man was taken to hospital. He’s since been released.
Neither the CCTV footage, nor a photo of Schneider, is being released to aid the investigation over concerns that either could compromise future court proceedings.
It’s not known if Schneider was on the transit system with any of the victims prior to the assaults, which are said to have occurred all within rapid succession of one another.
Schneider was apprehended by police a short distance from Waterfront Station. A Good Samaritan is credited with following the suspect and reporting his whereabouts to the attending officers.
Robillard wouldn’t say whether drugs or mental health issues were mitigating factors in the assaults.
Anyone who may have information about these assaults or who may have been a victim is asked to call the VPD’s Major Crime Section at 604-717-2541 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.
@JohnKurucz
