Police in Vancouver say they’ve identified a suspect in the assault of a 92-year old Asian man at a convenience store.
One day after authorities released surveillance video of the incident, investigators say members of the public have come forward to identify the suspect
He is seen on tape pushing the confused man with dementia out the store door, sending the man to the ground and causing him to hit his head.
Witnesses say the man appeared confused while in the store. They say the suspect began screaming at him, shouting slurs and something about Covid-19.
The man’s family had reported him missing just an hour earlier. You can see the incident in the video below.
“We know that hate crimes and hate-motivated incidents are generally under-reported. We believe the increase in March is indicative of a larger issue,” said police spokeswoman Constable Tania Visintin. “We are making a plea to victims or people who witness hate crimes to please come forward and report the incidents to police so they can be investigated.”
Visintin described the crime as despicable. The victim fortunately was unhurt.
“Everything about this assault and the behavior of the suspect is despicable,” she said. “As a police department, we do not tolerate incidents motivated by bias, prejudice, or hate. It’s even more disturbing considering the victim’s age.”
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