Chinatown security guard who made headlines when he was attacked dies suddenly

A beloved Chinatown security guard who was attacked on the job in August 2022 has now died from a fatal heart attack.

A stranger assaulted Harold Johnson as he made his regular morning rounds at the Chinese Cultural Centre near East Pender and Columbia streets.

The attack left Johnson, who was 64 years old at the time, with a concussion and a broken nose and cheekbone.

He returned to the job in December 2022, but announced he was leaving soon after.

Johnson, 67, passed away on Dec. 18 after suffering a heart attack outside the Canadian Tire on Grandview Highway, with his wife witnessing the attack.

Community members have now launched a fundraiser for his wife, Brandy LaRocque Johnson, who is now facing both profound grief and immediate instability.

1:58 Well-known security guard attacked in Vancouver’s Chinatown

The organizers of the fundraiser say the money raised will go to help pay for funeral and memorial expenses, living costs, paying bills, providing stability and essentials during the weeks and months ahead and supporting LaRocque Johnson as needed.

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When he retired in December 2022, Johnson was honoured at Vancouver City Hall with a proclamation acknowledging his years of service to Chinatown.

“Harold didn’t just work in Chinatown, he carried it in his heart,” said Lorraine Lowe, one of the organizers of the online fundraiser said in a statement.

“He showed up for this community day after day. Now Brandy is grieving a devastating loss, and she’s facing serious financial hardship at the exact moment she’s most vulnerable.”

The suspect in the attack, Kevin Hibbard, was found dead on Feb. 1, 2023 near Vancouver General Hospital under non-criminal circumstances.

Update: Former #ChinatownYVR security guard Harold Johnson says police have told him the suspect charged in the attack on him last August has died.
@GlobalBC
has confirmed Kevin Hibbard was found dead Feb. 1 near VGH under non-criminal circumstances