A 28-year-old man has been charged with attempted murder in connection with a disturbing home invasion in Lethbridge that saw a 27-year-old woman be attacked as she slept in her bed.
“The investigation determined the accused is unknown to the victim and the crime was a random act of violence,” Acting Insp. Pete Christos of the Lethbridge Police Service told reporters at a news conference on Friday.
“While random crimes of violence remain rare, the opportunistic nature of this crime, coupled with significant physical and emotional harm inflicted on the victim is deeply troubling.”
The attack occurred at about 3:30 a.m. on Tuesday at an apartment complex in the 200 block of Mayor Magrath Drive North.
“Investigation determined the male entered through an open ground floor window and once inside, obtained a weapon of opportunity that he used to bludgeon the victim before fleeing through the same window he used to gain entry,” the LPS said in a news release issued Friday.
“The victim was transported by EMS to Chinook Regional Hospital and admitted with serious head injuries.”
Police dogs were used to help try to track down the suspect but officers were initially unable to find him.
“Following further investigation, surveillance video of the subject was obtained and he was subsequently identified by police,” the LPS said, adding that he was found on Wednesday and arrested.
In addition to being accused of attempted murder, Corbin John Maxwell, of Coaldale, Alta., is also charged with breaking into a house with intent.
He is scheduled to appear in court on Tuesday.
“Public safety is our No. 1 priority and we hope residents will take some comfort in knowing that the accused was quickly taken into custody,” Christos said, adding that the victim has since been released from hospital and is not currently in Lethbridge.
When asked why an attempted murder charge was laid instead of an assault charge, Christos said he was unable to go into detail but explained that “the investigation revealed exactly what the motive was.”
Christos noted that while random assaults are rare, they have happened in Lethbridge before.
Speaking generally, Christos said to mitigate the chance of a home invasion, people can enhance lighting outside their homes and install security cameras as deterrents. He also said neighbours watching out for suspicious people or activity and alerting their other neighbours is helpful.