Man with dementia among increase in reported hate crimes in Vancouver: police
Posted April 22, 2020 4:24 pm.
Last Updated April 22, 2020 4:38 pm.
This article is more than 5 years old.
VANCOUVER — An assault on a 92-year-old Asian man with dementia in Vancouver is being investigated as a hate crime and police say they have recently noticed an increase in reports of hate-motivated incidents.
Vancouver police say the man has “severe dementia” and wandered into a convenience store on March 13 when another man yelled racists remarks that included comments about COVID-19.
Then outside the store, police say the suspect allegedly shoved the man, causing him to fall and hit his head.
Police have released a video showing the man being pushed out of the store and then being picked back up and left sitting on the sidewalk.
In a news release, police say there has been an increase in reports of hate-motivated incidents and criminal behaviour in recent weeks.
The department says 11 hate crimes were reported in March and five of those had an “anti-Asian element.”
Const. Tania Visintin says the alleged assault in the convenience story is “more disturbing” because of the age of the man with dementia.
“Everything about this assault and the behaviour of the suspect is despicable,” she says in a news release. “As a police department, we do not tolerate incidents motivated by bias, prejudice, or hate.”
The suspect, who left before police arrived, is described as white, in his 50s, about six feet tall with a heavy build. He has dark, short hair and is balding.
Police say he was wearing a grey, button up shirt over a black T-shirt with a white skull design on the front, black plants and black running shoes. He was also wearing a thick, gold bracelet, a gold necklace and several gold rings.
“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,” Visintin says.
“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.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 22, 2020.
The Canadian Press
