ON Tuesday, September 9 at approximately 10 a.m., front counter staff working inside the New Westminster Police Department were alerted to black smoke in the direction of Front Street. Staff shared this with patrol members who headed towards the area of Front Street and 6th Street.
When police arrived at the scene of the fire, a man approached them for help, saying that he’d been assaulted. Police learned that the man had been stabbed with an edged weapon. Officers provided aid to the man who was transported to hospital by BC Emergency Health Services Paramedics.
Police later identified and arrested 35-year-old Robert Spence of New Westminster in connection to the stabbing. Spence remains in custody and is charged with one count of aggravated assault, one count of assault with a weapon, and two counts of fail to comply with probation order.
Investigators will be exploring whether the fire and the stabbing are related.
“Our officers provided first aid to the victim, secured the area for fire crews, and arrested a suspect in short order,” said Media Relations Officer, Sgt. Andrew Leaver. “We now need the community’s help to connect the dots on what led to this incident.”
Anyone with more information is asked to contact the New Westminster Police Department at 604-525-5411.
