Metro Vancouver Transit Police are now confirming the drug overdose death of a man suspected of beating a woman on a bus after she came to the defense of two Asian women who were under a racist attack , CBC News reports.
Just hours after asking for the public’s help in tracking down the man, authorities say they’ve since learned he died about a week after the attack.
According to the Metro Vancouver Transit Police, the attack occurred around 4:25 p.m. when a White man boarded a bus at Main Street and East Hastings in Vancouver. Two Asian women wearing face masks boarded the bus shortly after. The man then directed his attention towards the women, telling them to go back to their country, CBA reports.
“During that time, the man allegedly made the comment of ‘go back to your country; that’s where it all started,” said a police spokesman to CTV News.
A woman sitting across from the suspect told him to leave the women alone. They had a brief argument before the suspect began attacking her.
“Moments later, the suspect allegedly jumped up and kicked the victim in the leg,” the transit police said in a statement. “As the victim stood up to defend herself, the suspect allegedly reached over and violently pulled the victim’s hair, pulling so hard that a large clump of hair was pulled from her head.”
The suspect allegedly punched the victim several times and wrestled her to the ground. The woman was able to fight the suspect off and he was last seen running away near Commercial Drive and East Hastings after getting off the bus.
According to CTV News, the police have checked in on the victim and say she is doing “relatively well.”
“It’s extremely disappointing. And we’re very clear that there’s no room on transit for violence or racism. This woman was simply a Good Samaritan,” Yake said.
The identity of the suspect has not been released.
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RE: Police searching for man who beat a woman trying to defend two Asian women from racist attack:Um, did the bus driver do anything like call dispatcher, police, stop the bus?
RE: Update: Suspect found dead in a beating of woman trying to defend two Asian woman from racist attack:He was drug addict and now found dead: https://transitpolice.ca/news-posts/suspect-identified-in-violent-attack-on-bus-thanks-to-publics-help/