‘He’s an actual human being’: Family decries horrific attack on Nanaimo homeless man

The daughter of a Nanaimo homeless man who suffered a violent and unprovoked attack last week is calling for the perpetrators to turn themselves in.

“He’s got tire tracks all over his body,” Kayleen Salter told Global News from Calgary.

“I don’t understand how any human being would think this is a good thing to do. Who just goes out and is like ‘I’m going to hit somebody with my car today?'”

Charles Salter, 45, was pushing his shopping cart near 102 Street and Victoria Avenue on Saturday evening when witnesses say he was approached by a small black car with several people inside.

Someone got out and doused him with pepper spray and the car accelerated and ran him over.

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It has been four years since Kayleen has seen her father, and she told Global News she only learned of his whereabouts because of the attack.

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Her father, she said, has struggled with addiction for years and made several attempts at rehab.

“He’s an actual human being, not just some vagrant on the street,” she said.

“He has a big heart; it’s just the drugs that make him make the bad choices, so I hope people keep that in mind.”

Charles remains in hospital in Victoria, where Kayleen said he is on a ventilator, adding he had pelvis surgery on Friday.

She has started a fundraising campaign, in hopes of travelling to Vancouver Island to see him and help him through his recovery.

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“It would just mean the world to me, to be able to go home and to show him that even though we haven’t been together for four years that me and my brother are behind him, and the rest of the family is here regardless of the choices he’s made,” she said.

Nanaimo RCMP have not arrested anyone in the case.

Police continue to collect tips and CCTV video footage, and say they’re confident the investigation is moving in the right direction.

Kayleen urged the people responsible to speed that process up.

“Turn yourselves in,” she said.

“Face your consequences. I can’t believe there’s monsters like that running around, you guys are messed up. I hope you get justice.”