Unprovoked stranger attacks down 77% since pandemic, Vancouver police say

Vancouver police say there has been a “steady decline” in the number of unprovoked stranger attacks since the COVID-19 pandemic.

In an email Thursday, Vancouver police spokesperson Sgt. Steve Addison said the incidents were down 77 per cent.

“Whereas we saw, on average, 4.5 per day in the first half of 2021, we were down to 1.1 in the first half of 2023,” he said.

“We’re definitely moving in the right direction, but there’s still more work to do.”

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Police released the disturbing figure of four unprovoked assaults per day in October 2021, and crime and public safety subsequently featured as a key issue in the municipal election the following fall.

At Thursday’s Vancouver Police Board meeting, a report on violent crime trends found “a random sample of assault data from 2021, 2022, and 2023 suggests a steady decline in unprovoked stranger assaults.”

The report points to reduced pedestrian traffic and fewer bystanders during the pandemic as a contributing factor, allowing “increased opportunities for violence.”

“This was further exacerbated by mental health pressures triggered by the COVID-19 pandemic, sometimes resulting in violent interactions between strangers.”

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Addison provided several other potential factors leading to the drop in stranger assaults, including there being fewer suspects held in custody during the pandemic, allowing violent and repeat offenders more opportunity to commit crimes.

Some of the incidents, he added, were committed by repeat offenders that police have been able to identify and arrest, including Mohammed Majidpour and Shakwan Kelly.

He also suggested increased media scrutiny of the issue had boosted discussions about personal safety and helped police identify suspects,