Vancouver police warn of spike in random attacks, share video of one assault

VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) – Police in Vancouver say there has been a spike in “stranger attacks,” pointing to 17 in the past two weeks.

They have released surveillance footage of one random attack on July 11 near Granville and Smithe streets. Police say a man was walking home at around 3:30 a.m. when a group of men approached him.

Security footage shows one attacker push the victim down. Another man helps the victim up and they all walk towards a lane, where the victim was assaulted and robbed of his wallet.

“Unfortunately, stranger attacks have been prevalent in recent weeks throughout Vancouver and this is very concerning,” Const. Tania Visintin said.

“This happened around the time the bars closed on Granville Street. We know there were people still out and they may have seen what happened and can identify these men,” she added.

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The suspects are believed to be South Asian, in their early 20s, and between 5’9″ and 5’11” tall.

The first suspect is described as having short hair and large ears. He was wearing a white T-shirt, white pants, and a green jacket. He was also carrying a black satchel across his chest.

The second has a medium build and short, dark hair. He was wearing a grey hooded sweater and black pants.

The third suspect is described as having curly, dark brown hair. He was wearing a white sweater and grey sweatpants.

If you have any information or recognize these men, you’re asked to call the VPD at 604-717-4022.