Vancouver’s mayor is calling for provincial justice reform in the aftermath of a weekend machete attack in the downtown core that injured four people.
On Saturday, a man set his suite in a rooming house near Granville and Smithe streets on fire, then stabbed four other people in the building, hospitalizing each of them, according to police.
Mayor Kennedy Stewart subsequently called on the B.C. government to take action, “particularly around prolific offenders that endanger public safety,” and to “respond to the dire need for more mental health services.”
“Gaps in our mental health and criminal justice system not only fail our public, but our first responders and partners in law enforcement who are committed to community and public safety despite a lack of critical support to comprehensively address violent offenders,” Stewart wrote on Sunday.
Earlier this year, the province’s urban mayors called on the province to invest in complex care for those with mental health and addictions issues and to crack down on prolific offenders.
In a Monday interview, Stewart said the province “has been delivering” on the former with a series of recent investments, but is “dragging their feet” on the latter.
“We’ve been working really hand in glove with them … we do need something sooner rather than later,” he told Global News. “I think this is a longstanding issue.”
The call stems from an April letter from the BC Urban Mayors’ Caucus to the province, citing issues with a “catch and release justice cycle” that has failed to prevent recidivism and keep repeat offenders off the streets.
Since 2017, the mayors said, there has been a 75-per-cent increase in the rate of the BC Prosecution Service choosing to not charge suspects based on police cases.
“Our police agencies also flagged a significant increase in the number of offenders routinely breaching conditions without consequence while on bail and failing to appear in court without consequence,” the letter said.
In his own written statement, Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth said his government has initiated an investigation into the issue of prolific offenders and random violent attacks, in cooperation with the 13 urban mayors. A report with recommendations is slated for completion in the fall.
“The Ministry of Public Safety and Solicitor General is currently analyzing the report from the Special Committee on Reforming the Police Act, which highlights the complex nature of these issues and the need for all levels of government to be engaged in tackling these matters,” Farnworth added.
“Our government is making historic investments in mental health and addictions care that people need and deserve. We know there is much more work to do.”
Police arrested 48-year-old Ibrahim Abdela Bakhit in connection with the machete attack. He is charged with one count each of aggravated assault, assault with a weapon and possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose.
The victims suffered “serious, life-altering injuries,” according to police. In a written statement, Const. Tania Visintin said Bakhit “has had prior police interaction,” but “nothing that extensive.”
He remains in custody until his next court appearance. He was injured after police fired their weapons in the course of his arrest. No update on his condition was available on Monday.
Meanwhile, mayoral candidate Ken Sim called Stewart’s Sunday comments after the attack “frustrating and disingenuous” on Twitter. In a thread, he accused Stewart of creating a “culture of hostility towards police,” on whose board he sits as chair.
“You tried to cut police funding only to have it be restored by Minister Mike Farnworth,” he tweeted.
“And now, when we should be working with the provincial and federal governments to secure funding for mental health services, you instead try to pass the buck and blame them for the problems we see today.”
In March, Farnworth restored $5.7 million to the Vancouver Police Department budget that was cut in 2021. The police board had appealed the cut as the force grappled with a surge in violent crime, protests and hate crimes.
Last October, police released a report that said an average of four people per day had been the victims of random, unprovoked attacks by strangers over the previous year.
Running under the ABC Vancouver party banner, Sim said in an interview he would hold those partners accountable if elected to a majority in the upcoming election, but not blame them for things a mayor “can control.”
“I think it’s pretty disappointing and disingenuous of the mayor, after three years and 10 months being mayor, to come out swinging on crime and safety in our city,” Sim told Global News.
He said he and his council candidates — incumbents Rebecca Bligh, Lisa Dominato and Sarah Kirby-Yung, and newcomers Mike Klassen, Peter Meiszner, Brian Montague and Lenny Zhou — would reinvest in the police department, and search for opportunities to reallocate funds to mental health.
Stewart is running for reelection under the Forward Together banner, with council candidates Russil Wvong, Dulcy Anderson, and Hilary Brown.
Responding to the criticism, he said he has been speaking up about crime, public safety, and mental health and addictions regularly for as long as he has been in office.
“I have press conferences every week or two and this is right on the top of the agenda all the time,” he told Global News. “This is really proven by the work we’ve done with the Big City Mayors over the last two years, and we’ve achieved results which we’re really proud of.”
When it comes to the Saturday machete attack, he added, he is aware of details the public is not.
“They’re deeply concerning to me and I thought as mayor I should issue a statement on this to ask for increased support from the province.”
The city has generated some “good results” under his leadership, he added, including investments in social housing and working closely with police to ensure public safety concerns are addressed.