ON February 9 at 9:29 p.m., Abbotsford Police patrol officers were called to the 2300-block of McCallum Road in response to a report of two people being assaulted with a weapon.

The victims told police that without any provocation, a man had chased them and struck them with a metal pipe. The assailant, later identified as Johnathan Rath, then threw the pipe at one of the victims and smashed a car window before fleeing on foot.

Within an hour of the assault, police were called to a robbery in progress at a liquor store on Montvue Avenue. The suspect threatened store clerks with a knife while stealing cash and alcohol. Minutes later, at 10:34  p.m., patrol officers in downtown Abbotsford observed a male matching the description of the robbery suspect. The male was arrested without incident.

Rath, 37, remains in custody charged with:

– Assault with a weapon (two counts)

– Assault causing bodily harm (two counts)

– Utter threats to cause death or bodily harm

– Robbery with a weapon

– Breach of court order (four counts)

The victims of the assault sustained serious injuries and were transported to hospital.

Anyone with information about this investigation is asked to contact the Abbotsford Police Department at 604-859-5225 or call CrimeStoppers at 1-800-222-8477.