Date: Monday, November 1, 2021

File: 21-43776

Victoria, BC – Patrol officers arrested a man yesterday morning after a foot pursuit in downtown Victoria.

At approximately 7 a.m. on Sunday, October 31st, Patrol officers responded to a parkade in the 700-block of Johnson Street for a report of a man attempting to break into an occupied vehicle. The victim reported that he was inside his vehicle, attempting to leave the parkade, when a man first tried to open his vehicle door before smashing a rear window. The suspect then fled the scene on foot.

Officers located the suspect leaving the scene and gave chase on foot. Officers deployed a Conductive Energy Weapon during the foot pursuit, however it was ineffective. Officers continued to chase the suspect on foot until additional responding officers took the suspect to the ground in the area of Johnson and Broad streets. No one was physically injured as a result of this incident.

Officers continued their investigation and believe that this incident was an attempted carjacking. The suspect was transported to VicPD cells where he was later released with a court date and conditions.

Bill C-75, which came into effect nationally in 2019, legislated a “principle of restraint” that requires police to release an accused person at the earliest possible opportunity after considering certain factors which include the likelihood the accused will attend court, the imminence of the risk posed to public safety, and the impact on confidence in the criminal justice system. The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms provides that every person has the right to liberty and the presumption of innocence pre-trial.  Police are also asked to consider the circumstances of Indigenous or vulnerable persons in the process, in order to address the disproportionate impacts that the criminal justice system has on these populations.

This file remains under investigation.

If you have information about this incident, please call our non-emergency line at (250) 995-7654 and press 1 to speak with the Report Desk. To report what you know anonymously, please call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

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