The suspect arrested and charged for stabbing an Afghan refugee in Vancouver’s Chinatown has been charged in a second unprovoked attack.
Dennis Amanand Prasad, 43, has been charged with one count of aggravated assault for each of the stabbing incidents that took place on Sept. 10 and Sept. 11.
On Sept. 10, a 55-year-old man was left with “serious and life-altering injuries” after he was allegedly attacked by Prasad while he was walking alone near East Cordova Street and Jackson Avenue, according to the Vancouver Police Department.
The victim managed to contact the police after the suspect fled the scene. He is expected to survive.
On Sept. 11, Prasad allegedly approached a 22-year-old Afghan refugee from behind and stabbed him in the throat and chest on Gore Avenue near East Pender Street. The victim, who was working as a meal delivery worker, suffered life-threatening injuries but is expected to survive, according to reports.
Prasad was arrested in Crab Park shortly after the attack on the delivery worker. He remains in police custody.
Investigators from Vancouver Police Department’s Major Crime Section have taken over the investigation. The BC Prosecution Service approved the criminal charge related to the 55-year-old’s assault on Wednesday.
The neighborhood has since expressed concern and frustration over the violence in Chinatown that has worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Last week, the wife of a beloved security guard who was repeatedly punched in Chinatown in August challenged the city’s mayor to walk its streets to see what it is like amid rising crime in the area. She also called on merchants to stand in solidarity.
Featured Image via Global News
