An Edmonton senior is recovering after being randomly attacked by a man with a boxcutter in the Alberta Avenue neighbourhood, according to police.
Police said it happened in the area of 113 Avenue and 95A Street at around 11:40 a.m. on Saturday, March 12.
Officers responded to a report of an assault with a weapon. Police said a man approached a 73-year-old senior, who was out for a walk at the time.
The suspect tapped the senior on the shoulder.
“The suspect then reportedly struck the complainant in the face without provocation, knocking him to the ground, then slashed him across the face and neck with a boxcutter,” Edmonton police said Friday.
Police said the senior was taken to hospital with serious injuries and has since been released from hospital.
Police said the suspect and victim were not known to one another.
“What’s concerning is that these two men were completely unknown to one another,” Edmonton police spokesperson Cheryl Voordenhout said.
“This was an unprovoked, random attack of a 73-year-old man.”
The suspect fled after a witness shouted at him.
“It happened in the broad light of day, but it’s very fortunate that there were a number of witnesses around who saw what happened,” Voordenhout added.
“Witnesses right away intervened, started first aid, contacted police and EMS, and were able to ensure that the victim got to hospital right away.”
Christina Ignacio-Deines lives a few steps away from where the incident happened in Norwood.
“I was home and in bed. I heard people speaking very strongly outside,” she said. “I saw two people. I heard one person say, ‘Stay in place and wait’. Then I heard the word ‘ambulance.'”
A couple of hours later, a police officer came to her door asking if she had heard anything about the event. She said the officer told her the man had been stabbed.
She said the man who was injured appeared to be a senior.
“I was very glad to know the person was getting help right away. People weren’t just being bystanders,” Ignacio-Deines said.
The suspect was found by police a short time later at 118 Avenue and 103 Street.
“In this case, it was fortunate that there were a number of witnesses who saw what happened and police were able to very quickly arrest the suspect not too far from the scene,” Voordenhout said.
Edmonton police have charged 26-year-old Braden Arcand with attempted murder, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and failure to comply with probation.
Arcand has an extensive history with the courts, with convictions in 2021 for property mischief, possession of stolen property, assault and theft under $5,000.