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Police warning public after unprovoked attacks on West Side

Police are warning the public after several unprovoked attacks in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood. It’s believed the same suspect has been involved in multiple assaults, which all occurred in the same general area. The first two were on Feb.
assault suspect
Vancouver police released these photos of a suspect in four unprovoked attacks on Vancouver's West Side. Photos Vancouver Police Department

Police are warning the public after several unprovoked attacks in Vancouver’s Kitsilano neighbourhood.

It’s believed the same suspect has been involved in multiple assaults, which all occurred in the same general area.

The first two were on Feb. 5, one just before and one just after 5 p.m. in the area of West Second Avenue and Burrard Street, and West Broadway and Alma Street. A third incident occurred on Feb. 22 just after 10 p.m. near Granville Street and West Broadway, and the last one happened on Feb. 24 just after midnight at West Broadway and Laurel Street.

In each case, the suspect approached the victim in a public area, such as a sidewalk or convenience store. Without provocation he would punch, elbow or push the victim before walking away. In all four incidents, the victims did not know the suspect.

“The motive in each case is unclear and the attacks appear to be random,” Sgt. Jason Robillard said in a press release. “The victims all sustained minor injuries.”

Robillard said the victims were varied — an Asian man in his 20s, a South Asian woman in her early 20s, a white man in his early 20s and a white woman in her early 40s.

"So as you can see it’s quite spread out and we’re still trying to work on the motive," he said. "Again appealing to anyone out there that recognizes this male or may know anything about these crimes to please call us."

The suspect is described as a black man in his 20s, 5’9” tall with a medium build, clean shaven with short black hair. In the first two incidents he was wearing a white T-shirt with an upside down “A” symbol on it, a blue jacket, blue jeans and black running shoes.

Investigators are asking anyone with information about these assaults, or who can identify the suspect, to call the Vancouver Police Department’s major crimes section at 604-717-2541, or Crime Stoppers at 1-888-222-8477.

@JessicaEKerr

jkerr@vancourier.com