Burnaby RCMP investigating alleged hate crime, assault near Metrotown

BURNABY (NEWS 1130) — Three people are accused of racially abusing an Asian man while one poured coffee over his head near the Metrotown SkyTrain Station on Saturday, according to Burnaby RCMP.

Around 4:15 p.m., police officers responded to a report that a man had been racially abused near the SkyTrain station.

According to RCMP, the victim alleges that a man wearing a yellow hoodie, along with two other people shouted at him, “Go back to your country.”

The suspect in yellow then approached the man and poured coffee over his head, RCMP says in a release.

“Discrimination in any form has no place in our wonderfully diverse city,” Cpl. Mike Kalanj adds. “While we are thankful that the victim was not physically injured, we are mindful of the long-lasting effects that incidents like this one can have on those being targeted, so it is hugely important that we identify these suspects quickly.”

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The suspect in the yellow hoodie is described as a Caucasian man in his 40s. He also wore black pants and a black hat.

Officers are also looking for a woman in her 30s who had a blonde ponytail and was wearing a black hoodie and grey sweatpants.

The third person being sought is a man who was wearing a black vest, black pants, black shoes, and a black hat, worn backwards.

Kalanj says it’s too soon to say if the alleged assault was motivated by COVID-19.

Earlier this year, Burnaby RCMP investigated whether race played a role after someone deliberately tripped an 84-year-old Asian woman using a walker near Metrotown SkyTrain Station.

In July, the Vancouver Police Department formed a special hate-crime project team as such incidents were occurring in the city at a higher rate than normal during the COVID-19 pandemic, including those targeting Asian people. Investigators started working on 35 files regarding incidents classified as potential hate crimes, according to the police department.

Anyone with more information about the incident on Saturday is asked to contact Burnaby RCMP at 604-646-9999, or CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS to remain anonymous.

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