Out of nine violent incidents the Vancouver Police Department responded to in the Downtown Eastside in one day this week, three of them were stabbings.
The VPD is currently investigating whether the stabbings, which sent four people to the hospital on Wednesday, Jan. 19, are connected.
“We’re troubled by this level of violence, and we’re concerned it could escalate," said constable Tania Visintin, VPD.
The first stabbing occurred Wednesday morning, just after 4:30 a.m. A 29-year-old man stumbled into a convenience store near Main and East Hastings streets bleeding from a large cut on his face. Officers and paramedics responded, and the man was rushed to hospital with non-life-threatening injures.
Nine hours later at 1:30 p.m., offers responded to a street fight near Main and Hastings streets. Officers found one man suffering from a wound to his face, and another with head and torso injuries. Police are now trying to identify a 5' 8" Indigenous man who was seen running north on Columbia Street. The man was wearing a grey and white hooded sweater, dark-coloured sweat pants, and a black baseball cap.
Then at around 6 p.m. VPD officers were called to an apartment building near East Cordova and Columbia streets, after a man posted on social media that he was bleeding to death from a stab wound. He was taken to hospital and is now expected to survive.
“All three investigations are still in the very early stages. The motives for these violent attacks are unknown at this time,” added Visintin. “No arrests have been made, and we’re asking anyone with information to contact us.”
Anyone with information is asked to call Vancouver Police at 604-717-2541.
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