There was a large number of assaults between strangers over the Family Day long weekend in Vancouver.
In a series of tweets, the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) says there were 60 assaults over the three-day period. Twenty-two of them are being investigated as possible stranger assaults.
An "unprovoked stranger assault" is being described by police as “unreasonable given the circumstances.” They're brief interactions lasting about 15 seconds or less, and there's no previous relationship with the victim.
The VPD is sharing some examples of what happened over the weekend, including one incident where a woman entered a grocery store on Richards Street and threw a flower pot at a manager and pepper-sprayed him.
The woman, who had been previously banned from the store, was located and charged.
Another ‘random’ assault took place on Friday night at a building on Seymour Street after a food delivery driver entered the lobby without a mask. A person working as a concierge asked the individual to put on a mask and was punched as a result.
Police describe multiple assaults taking place on Saturday morning, including a fistfight that turned into a stabbing and an unruly guest at a hotel who punched an employee in the face.
"The Vancouver Police Department has made significant progress with investigations into the large number of unprovoked stranger attacks,” reads a tweet. "Still, violence remains a problem.”
If you witnessed an assault or know someone who has been assaulted, police are encouraging you to call 911.
