Victoria, BC – One man is in custody after being arrested for an assault on a BC Transit operator last night.
Officers were called to the intersection of Douglas and Field streets last night just after 9 p.m. after passengers on the bus called our 911 Communications Centre. Callers reported that a man entered the stopped bus by the back door. The Transit operator questioned the man, who then assaulted the operator and fled the bus.
Officers arrived within one minute of the original call. Based on the descriptions provided to our 911 Comms Centre call-takers, officers were able to identify the suspect, within moments, a short distance away. Due to the quick thinking of the bus passengers in calling 911 and their excellent descriptions of the suspect, officers were able to recognize the man, who was then taken into custody without further incident. BC Ambulance paramedics arrived and treated the Transit operator, who did not require transport to hospital at the time of the incident.
The suspect in the call, a Victoria man, was held for morning court. This same man has been the subject of several calls and interactions with officers over the last few days. Officers have concerns that the man may require mental health treatment and are recommending he be held pending a mental health evaluation.
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