A Coquitlam man is facing multiple charges for allegedly sucker-punching an 18-year-old exchange student this weekend.
Vancouver police said the victim was walking on the street when a man approached her and attacked her in the city’s latest stranger attack.
“The victim was walking with a friend and doing nothing wrong when a man approached her, violently attacked her, and knocked her out,” Sgt. Steve Addison said in a release.
“The victim had never seen the suspect before, and because the victim was looking away, she was unable to defend herself.”
The victim was walking near West Pender Street and Howe Street when the assault happened, police said. Several bystanders, including a doctor, came to her aid and called 911. Police said the attacker ran away quickly but officers were able to find security video and then search for him.
“A constable patrolling the downtown core spotted the suspect walking on West Hastings Street about 40 minutes after the assault, and arrest him without incident,” Addison said, adding the 26-year-old suspect was wanted on a B.C.-wide Mental Health Act warrant at the time of the incident.
The man was arrested for assault and for breaching a probation order that required him to reside at a court-ordered treatment centre. He is now in custody and is due in court Monday, police said.
Police said the victim was taken to the hospital as a precaution.