UPDATE: Charges pending in violent, seemingly unprovoked attack in downtown Calgary
Calgary police are searching for a suspect thought to be responsible for three different attacks in the downtown core they say are “seemingly unconnected and unprovoked.”
Police said the victims in all three attacks were men who are members of the city’s vulnerable population.
All the incidents happened in in a three-day period between Saturday and Tuesday.
The first occurred just before midnight on Saturday in the 700 block of 8 Street S.W. and was caught on camera. Police said the victim was hit over the back of the head with an unknown object. He was taken to hospital in life-threatening condition but has since been upgraded to stable.
The second attack happened just after midnight on Monday. Police said the victim was using a payphone at the Safeway in the 800 block of 11 Avenue S.W. when he was hit in the back of the head with a piece of concrete. He was taken to hospital with life-threatening injuries but has since been upgraded to stable.
Then on Tuesday, two officers on patrol discovered a man in “serious medical distress” unconscious near the intersection of 8 Avenue and 9 Street S.W. Police said it’s believed he too was hit over the back of the head with a hard object. EMS said the victim, in his early 30s, was taken to hospital in serious but stable condition.
BELOW: A map showing the locations of three violent attacks in downtown Calgary between Saturday, June 17 and Tuesday, June 20, 2017.
Police believe the same man “may be involved” in all three attacks.
He was once seen wearing a white T-shirt over a dark-coloured hoodie with tan-coloured pants and dark shoes with white soles.
The three victims are not believed to be connected to one another, however, police said it’s not yet known what prior involvement, if any, they may have had with the suspect before the assaults. Police said one of the victims was actually attacked while standing with three other individuals.
Officers said two of the victims are not cooperating.
There was no indication of motive as of Tuesday afternoon.
Police said they are stepping up patrols in the wake of the attacks.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Calgary Police Service non-emergency line at 403-266-1234 or contact Crime Stoppers.
With files from Tracy Nagai