Metro Vancouver Transit Police is asking the public’s help in identifying a man wearing a pink shirt who allegedly violently robbed an elderly man on Anti-Bullying Day (also known as Pink Shirt Day).
According to police, the incident took place on 9:55 am on Wednesday, February 26, 2020, when an elderly man boarded a train at Granville SkyTrain Station. At the same time, another man wearing a pink shirt boarded the train.
The man in the pink shirt spoke to several people on the train and allegedly ignited an aerosol spray, “creating a small torch which caused several people to leave the train.”
He approached the elderly man, demanding money. The elderly victim said he did not have money, and the suspect then reached in the man’s pocket and took $5, and then allegedly punched the man in the face multiple times.
The victim suffered cuts and bruises and was attended to by an ambulance that arrived on the scene.
The suspect was last seen exiting the train at Main Street Science World Station. He is described as follows:
- A South Asian male
- Medium build
- Shaved head with dark stubble
- Clean-shaven face
- Wearing a blue LA Dodgers baseball hat, dark brown waist-length coat, grey hoodie, a pink T-shirt, black pants with a prominent red stripe, and dark running shoes
- Carrying a black backpack with an orange, black, and white logo
- Wearing diamond-studded earrings in both ears
“It is unsettling to see an incident with this level of violence at any time, but in particular on Pink Shirt Day, a day devoted to anti-bullying and treating everyone with kindness,” said Metro Vancouver Transit Police in a statement.
Anyone with information about the identity of this suspect, or who witnessed this incident, is asked to contact the Transit Police tip line at 604-516-7419 or text using the code 87-77-77 and refer to file #2020-4375.