Charges laid in Vancouver gruesome stranger attacks near Queen Elizabeth Theatre

Editor’s note: This story contains details and images which may be disturbing to some readers.

A 34-year-old man is facing charges in connection to two violent incidents in downtown Vancouver Wednesday that left one man dead and another with life-altering injuries.

Police described the violence as “completely random stranger attacks.”

Brendan Colin McBride has been charged with aggravated assault and second-degree murder and remains in custody pending his first court appearance later this month.

Police said the suspect appeared to be a “very troubled man” with a criminal record and more than 60 documented interactions with police throughout Metro Vancouver. Police said the suspect had been out on probation for a prior conviction from a 2023 assault in White Rock, where he is believed to be from.

It comes as officers continue to search for the motive in the attacks, and officials are pleading with the public to remain calm despite mounting concerns over public safety.

A witness told Daily Hive they saw the victim, a 56-year-old man, with a large wound on his wrist. There was a trail of blood leading from the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary church to where first responders were treating him as he lay on the ground at Richard Street and Dunsmuir.

These edited images provided by a witness show the scene on West Georgia Street. (Jason Simeone)

“As I rode onto Homer Street on my motorcycle, I saw all the yellow tape and police surrounding my building. As I rode down Homer Street to park my motorcycle outside my office building, I passed the ambulance where I could see someone being treated; they were covered in blood,” Jason Simeone said.

Vancouver Police Chief Adam Palmer said the first report came in at 7:38 am and that the victim had been attacked by a person holding a knife.

“He was bleeding from the head and had suffered a severe, completely severed hand. The man was taken to hospital for emergency treatment and is expected to survive,” Palmer said. Police updated that information on Thursday to say that the man’s name will not be released for privacy reasons, only that he remains in hospital after undergoing surgery.

Approximately eight minutes after the first attack, police said they were called to a second scene at Queen Elizabeth Theatre where another man had been attacked. Despite efforts to save him, he died on the scene.

Daily Hive/Amir Ali

He has been identified as Francis David Laporte, 70, and police did not reveal more information as to how he died. A white tent was erected over the crime scene at West Georgia and Hamilton Street throughout the day Wednesday but has since been removed.

An hour later, at 8:41 am, police posted a statement on social media stating that officers were investigating two incidents but weren’t certain if they were linked. The post on X also stated extra officers had been added. No photos of the suspect were released, and details on the homicide were not shared publicly.

We are investigating two serious incidents downtown this morning between 7:30 and 7:45. No arrests have been made and it is unknown if the incidents are connected. Extra VPD officers are patrolling. Crime scenes are at W. Georgia and Hamilton, and near W. Georgia and Homer… pic.twitter.com/tAifALWg5T

— Vancouver Police (@VancouverPD) September 4, 2024

Shortly after 9 am, police said they located the suspect on Habitat Island, near Olympic Village at the foot of Columbia Street and adjacent to Hinge Park.

“While investigators and VPD’s major crime homicide unit and forensic identification unit begin collecting evidence from the two crime scenes, VPD patrol officers obtained images of the suspect, confirmed that the two incidents were linked, and began searching for the suspect,” Palmer said Wednesday.

Palmer said someone called 911 after they were approached by a man acting erratically and yelling at them.

A video shared on social media around 9:30 am showed a man in handcuffs being led away by several plain-clothed officers in the Olympic Village area.

Major police situation Olympic Village Beer Island. ERT and drone used to capture suspect. @VancouverPD #vancouver pic.twitter.com/VBsrdbJ0Xd

— Shawn Miller (@DailyShawn) September 4, 2024

The suspect was then placed in Vancouver Police Jail.

The incidents have shaken the area, with many expressing the brazen nature of random attacks in busy areas during the daylight.

Vancouver Police Chief Adam Palmer spoke alongside Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim at a news conference in Vancouver on Wednesday following the attacks. (Amir Ali/Daily Hive)

“Crimes like these, seemingly random and unprovoked, cause everyone to fear for their safety and the safety of their loved ones, and rightfully so. Let me assure you that incidents like these, while high profile, are deeply disturbing, they are rare. We have seen other cases, though, in Vancouver, where people have come into Vancouver from the suburbs, from other cities in the surrounding area, and committed acts of extreme violence in our city,” Palmer said.

“We do live in a safe city,” he added.

Daily Hive/Amir Ali

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim also spoke out on Wednesday about the need for the province to fix the gaps in mental health support, which he said is impacting every major city right now.

“We do not have the jurisdiction to address the root causes of these issues, and we face gaps in our public safety approach that require action and funding beyond the municipal level. And so we need the province and the federal government to address these gaps, especially when it comes to mental health,” Sim said.

BC Public Safety Minister Mike Farnworth provided a statement to Daily Hive in which he thanked the police and the bystanders who assisted the investigation when they called 911.

“Police are investigating the details of what happened, but the police have said that it appears mental health may have been a factor. We agree that we need more assertive treatment tools for people struggling with severe mental health challenges, addictions and brain injuries. That’s why David Eby brought on a world-renowned doctor, Dr. Vigo, to spearhead that work, as we also take action to expand access to other mental health and treatment supports,” the minister said in part.

He added, “We are committed to making sure every single British Columbian feels safe in their community.”

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With files from Amir Ali