VANCOUVER - British Columbia's premier says Mounties and Metro Vancouver Transit Police have increased their presence and stepped up patrols on bus and train lines so passengers can feel safe when travelling.
David Eby says the stabbing death of a 17-year-old male on a Surrey bus on Tuesday is every parent's nightmare.
The premier says Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth is reaching out to transit authorities and police to see if more resources are needed to ensure transit safety.
The teen’s death is among a series of attacks on commuters across Canada that includes a shooting on a Calgary bus on Wednesday and numerous violent incidents on transit in Edmonton and Toronto.
It is the second serious stabbing in two weeks aboard a transit bus in Surrey, although the first victim, whose throat was slashed on April 1, is now recovering at home.
The suspect in the attack on the teenager has not yet been arrested and Eby is encouraging anyone with information or dashcam footage to come forward.
"This is a profoundly concerning incident," he said.
"It is absolutely vital that people be able to get to work, school and to do fun things around the community on transit and not have concerns about their safety when doing so. That's a goal that we have and that's something that all British Columbians deserve."
Eby made the remarks at a Vancouver elementary school during a separate announcement that 60 schools in the province will be seismically upgraded.
