New Westminster police are looking for a man they say beat up a youth with a baseball bat on Friday night.
Police said the alleged assault happened after a group of young people walking near 20th Street and 7th Avenue dropped a soccer ball, which then rolled in front of a vehicle.
Sgt. Jeff Scott with the New Westminster Police Department (NWPD) said the car stopped, and a man got out of the passenger side wielding a metal baseball bat.
He allegedly chased the youth, catching up with one and beating him badly enough that the teen required hospitalization.
Scott said the alleged attacker’s reaction is a concern for police investigating the case.
“We don’t know what their thought process was, why they immediately responded with what appears to be significant rage,” he said.
He added police are also looking into why the suspect allegedly had a bat at hand.
“Unless you’re going to and from the baseball field it’s not common that people would just have baseball bats in their car so that’s something we’ll certainly be investigating,” he added.
Meanwhile a social media post from a woman identifying herself as the victim’s mother claims the attack was stopped by a neighbour.
Police are asking anyone who witnessed the alleged assault to come forward.