National

Charges approved in two random Downtown Vancouver attacks

Darpan News Desk Vancouver Police, 01 Dec, 2020 10:10 PM

Charges have been approved against a 38-year-old man following a Vancouver Police investigation into two, separate assaults on Monday. “These two attacks were completely random,” says Constable Tania Visintin. “Despite enduring such a traumatic and frightening experience, the two female victims did not suffer serious physical injuries.”

In the first incident, the female victim was walking to a bus stop near West Georgia and Gilford streets on November 30 at 6:30 a.m. when a man allegedly approached her and sexually assaulted her. The 27-year-old woman fought the man off and ran to a place of safety and called police.

Moments after the first incident, a 65- year-old woman was walking to the same bus stop when the same man attempted to physically assault her. The woman boarded a bus, as did the suspect, and he continued assaulting her. “We want to commend both of these woman for their bravery. It takes a strong person to remain calm and focused during such a high time of stress,” add Constable Visintin.

Kelly Brian Stewart was arrested immediately following the incidents. The BC Prosecution Service has charged Stewart with sexual assault and assault causing bodily harm. Stewart will remain in custody until his next court appearance.

Prev Next

MORE National ARTICLES

Crisis lines face volunteer, cash crunch even as COVID-19 drives surge in calls

Despite a surge in demand due to COVID-19, many distress centres across Canada are dangerously close to folding thanks to major declines in both volunteers and revenue. Stephanie MacKendrick, CEO of Crisis Services Canada, which runs the only national suicide-specific helpline in Canada, says her organization relies on a network of approximately 100 community distress centres across the country to field calls from people.

Crisis lines face volunteer, cash crunch even as COVID-19 drives surge in calls

Conservatives gear up to grill government in modified return of House of Commons propose and oppose: Tories

Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer laid out Monday the numerous lines of inquiry his party intends to follow this week as a modified version of a House of Commons sitting gets underway. They include the state of the nation's emergency supply stockpile, the mishmash of federal economic benefit programs that allow some to fall through the cracks and to what extent the minority Liberals are backstopping provincial efforts to reopen their economies, Scheer said.

Conservatives gear up to grill government in modified return of House of Commons propose and oppose: Tories

Learning to live with COVID-19 requires permanent fixes to vulnerable settings

Canada's chief public health officer warned Monday there is still a lot we don't know about the virus that causes COVID-19, but said stopping this pandemic or preventing a future one will require more than just physical distancing and handwashing. Dr. Theresa Tam said we simply do not know yet whether someone who has had COVID-19 will be immune from getting it again, or how long that immunity will last.

Learning to live with COVID-19 requires permanent fixes to vulnerable settings

B.C. university creates institute to take microscope-telescope view of pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has placed the world at a tipping point that's challenging social, political, economic and environmental structures, says the director of a new academic research institute at British Columbia's Royal Roads University. Dr. Thomas Homer-Dixon said Monday the pandemic is an event with the power to cause those structures to fall like dominos or shift radically to new paths.

B.C. university creates institute to take microscope-telescope view of pandemic

Drugs and cash seized from a Whalley area residence in Surrey

Illicit drugs and cash have been seized from a residence in the Whalley area following an investigation by the Surrey RCMP. The investigation began on March 5th, 2020 by the Surrey RCMP Community Response Unit (CRU). CRU observed suspicious activity consistent with drug trafficking at a residence in the 11400 block of 124 street.

Drugs and cash seized from a Whalley area residence in Surrey

Police say B.C. woman whose disappearance sparked wide search found dead in Burnaby

The body of a missing British Columbia woman has been found two months after she disappeared. A statement from New Westminster police says the body believed to be that of Nirla Sharma was discovered Sunday along the Fraser River between New Westminster and Burnaby. The woman's disappearance from her New Westminster home sparked a major search in late February.