Suspect in North Vancouver dog walker attack charged with assault

An assault charge has been laid in connection with an attack on a North Vancouver dog walker earlier this year.

Johannes Burk is facing one assault charge in connection with the January 23 incident, North Vancouver RCMP confirmed. According to BC’s online court services, Burk is not in custody and is scheduled to appear in court next on May 31.

This comes after Burk turned himself in to police in February.

Lisa Adams, the owner of Nature Hounds, told Daily Hive in January that the frightening stranger attack left her shaken and injured.

It all began on the Northland trail where a man and woman allegedly told her to put her dogs on a leash. It was an off-leash trail, and as a licenced dog walker, Adams uses it frequently. Still, Adams said she smiled, apologized, and began walking the other way as the couple.

But when the man saw Adams holding her phone, he allegedly swung at her.

“He actually tried to slap the phone out of my hand and he was saying, ‘Give me that phone.’ So I squeeze so hard onto that phone,” Adams said.

The man allegedly grabbed Adams’ shoulders, pinned her down, and beat her.

“He’s just pummelling me. One punch, two punch, one, punch, punch, punch,” she said. “I’m screaming, ‘What are you doing… get off of me.’”

Adams screamed for help, and eventually, a woman came to her aid.

They went their separate ways, and Adams said she’s grateful she was wearing so many layers — and avoided even more damage from the beating. It took her weeks to feel better physically, and the incident also left its mark mentally.

“I’m waking up in the middle of the night to the sound of my own voice screaming for help. My head is constantly on a swivel,” she said. “When someone does something like that to you, it’s indescribable. You feel like half the person you were before it happened.”

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