Two people were taken to hospital in a stabbing incident in Vancouver.
Vancouver police said the incident was related to a robbery, which took place during a planned meetup through Facebook Marketplace.
The seller, a 36-year-old from Vancouver, believed he was meeting a legitimate buyer. The transaction turned violent when the supposed buyer deployed pepper spray and tried to flee without paying for the item, police said.
Two bystanders intervened in the robbery and ended up getting stabbed in the incident, which took place around 8 p.m. on Tuesday in the Olympic Village area, near Salt Street and Walter Hardwick Avenue.
One person was stabbed in the shoulder and the other in the hand, according to police.
“We commend these brave citizens for their assistance in apprehending a violent suspect, and we recognize the risks they took to help someone they didn’t even know,” Sgt. Steve Addison said.
“Their selfless actions stopped the suspect from getting away with the crime and may have prevented others from falling victim.”
The two injured witnesses were making food deliveries at the time of the Facebook Marketplace robbery when they overhead the victim calling for help. They saw the suspect attempting to flee into a nearby taxi, according to police.
They managed to prevent the man from getting in the cab, and with help from the third bystander, were able to hold the suspect down until VPD officers arrived.
BC Emergency Health Services said it responded to the incident and transported the patients to the hospital.
Sheldon Ilbegi-Asli, 21, remains in custody and has been charged with robbery and two counts of assault with a weapon.
Ilbegi-Asli, who has no criminal record but has had previous interactions with police according to the VPD, is set to appear in court Thursday for a bail hearing.
Police is using the incident to remind community members to use caution when meeting strangers to buy and sell used goods, as robberies and scams stemming from Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist transactions continue to be a concern throughout the region.
Anyone meeting up to make a sale is encouraged to use the VPD’s Safe Exchange Location, located outside VPD headquarters at 2120 Cambie Street.
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