Two assaults in Abbotsford’s Mill Lake Park

WATCH (above): Abbotsford Police Department’s Cst. Ian MacDonald talks about the assaults in Mill Lake Park.

Abbotsford police are warning the public after two separate assaults in Mill Lake Park this month.

The first assault happened on June 9 at around 3 p.m. when a 26-year-old man was riding his bike in the northwest area of Mill Lake Park. He stopped for a cigarette near three young males and after a brief exchange, things quickly escalated into an unprovoked attack.

The man was hit multiple times and a knife was taken out by one of the suspects. The victim suffered wounds to his hands but was able to ride away and contact police. He was treated in hospital for scrapes, cuts and bruises.

A similar assault happened in the same area on June 21 at 5 a.m. when a 39-year-old man was riding his bike in the 2500-block of Gladwin Road and went into Mill Lake Park along a gravel path. He was approached by three young males who demanded he give them his bike. When the man refused, the three suspects started assaulting him. The victim also suffered knife wound injuries and was taken to hospital.

The suspects are described as Caucasian, appeared to be in their early 20s and wore “skate” type clothing.

“I don’t want to make people fearful or paranoid that there is this marauding group of young caucasian men with skateboards attacking people,” says Abbotsford police Cst. Ian MacDonald.

“But I do want people to be mindful of the fact that we’ve had these two incidents take place in the span of a few weeks and obviously there is some violence taking place in and around the park.”

The APD is investigating both assaults and is asking anyone with information about these incidents to contact them at (604) 859-5225.