FOLLOWING the arrest of a suspect in connection with a series of unprovoked assaults on the transit system, an investigation by Metro Vancouver Transit Police has resulted in the BC Prosecution Service approving several charges.
The three assaults took place on board transit vehicles in Vancouver and Burnaby over the course of four days in September. None of the teenage victims knew their assailant. Two of the assaults were believed to be racially motivated.
On September 20 at approximately 12:40 p.m., a 16-year-old boy was on board a bus in Burnaby when a man allegedly slapped him across the face, without provocation, so hard that it caused injury and broke his glasses. Prior to the alleged assault, the man had allegedly been making racist comments about the ethnicity that matched the teen’s.
On September 21 at approximately 7:30 p.m., a 17-year-old boy was on board a SkyTrain in Vancouver. The suspect boarded the same train a little later and was seen acting erratically. The suspect then allegedly approached the victim, made derogatory comments regarding his ethnic appearance, allegedly snatched his mobile phone, punched him in the face, and threw his phone back at him.
On September 23 shortly before 12:30 p.m., a 19-year-old man was on board a train in Vancouver when he was approached by the suspect, who, without provocation, allegedly punched him in the face causing his nose to bleed and kicked him in the stomach. The suspect was arrested after this last alleged assault, thanks to the assistance of the Vancouver Police officers who were nearby.
Thanks to the hard work of the Transit Police detectives, the suspect, Jonathan Madera Almazan, 19, was linked to all three assaults. Three charges of assault and two charges of mischief under $5,000 have now been approved by the BC Prosecution Service. The suspect remains in custody pending his next court appearance.
“Hate and violence have no place on transit. Anyone who experiences or witnesses a crime during their transit journey is asked to report it.
Contact Transit Police by phone at 604.515.8300 or by text 87.77.77 for non-emergency matters, or call 9-1-1 in an emergency.
