Police in Victoria, B.C., are investigating after one of their own was “randomly attacked” by a suspect with a skateboard while processing the scene of a crime on Thursday night.
The forensic officer was working at the scene of a stabbing near the intersection of Pandora Avenue and Vancouver Street around 11:40 p.m., when a stranger approached and confronted him.
“The person first yelled at the officer and then without warning, attempted to strike them in the head with a skateboard,” Bowen Osoko, VicPD spokersperson, told Global News.
“The officer was able to fight them off. The officer was actually taking pictures at the time. Their camera was damaged in the altercation.”
According to police, the forensic officer had been working behind yellow police tape, in full uniform, when they were attacked. They were uninjured and when the suspect fled, the officer called for help from other police in the area, who were able to arrest and disarm the man.
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The suspect was taken into custody and released with future court dates. Police learned that the man had a warrant for another file at a different Vancouver Island police department, said Osoko.
The “unflappable” officer he attacked, Osoko added, grabbed another camera, continued to process the scene and then returned to provide a statement and evidence. Nevertheless, he described the assault as “deeply concerning.”
“The officer who was attacked is an officer who’s frankly well-known in the community … but also a very skilled, very tactically aware, very good-on-their-feet member,” he said.
“To have that person randomly attacked is shocking to us … this is a senior officer, the lead in fact, of our forensic section.”
The stabbing the officer was investigating took place roughly two hours before the random attack.
The victim, who was stabbed multiple times in the 1000-block of Pandora Avenue, was seriously injured and did not realize the extent of their injuries until they had fled the unknown attacker.
The Victoria Fire Department found the victim in the 1400-block of Harrison Street and provided “life-saving” first aid, said Osoko.
The stabbing suspect is described as male, five-foot-five in height with a medium build and facial hair. The man’s hair fell below his ears, police said, and witnesses described him as having an “unkempt” appearance.
Anyone with information on the skateboard attack or the stabbing is asked to call the VicPD Report Desk at (250) 995-7654 extension 1.
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