Ridge Meadows RCMP have released photos of an alleged suspect in an unprovoked assault, asking for the public’s assistance in identifying the man.
On Sept. 17, at approximately 2:45 p.m., Ridge Meadows RCMP received reports of a taxi driver being assaulted near the intersection of Sheldrake Court and Fern Crescent in Maple Ridge.
Officers learned the driver had picked up the suspect at an establishment in the 12900 block of 232nd Street. The driver was then directed to the current location before the suspect abruptly told the driver to stop and immediately began assaulting him. The victim received injuries to his face due to multiple punches being thrown at him, say police.
In the process, the suspect also attempted to break the CCTV camera in the taxi, and proceeded to break the vehicle’s windshield, before fleeing the area.
Officers immediately attended and patrolled the area, but were unable to locate the alleged suspect. Additional support was also provided by Integrated Police Dog Services and air services. Further follow-up was completed including canvassing for additional witnesses and video surveillance. The victim was also offered Victim Services assistance.
Police are now releasing video surveillance photos to the public in the hopes of gathering more information and possibly identifying the suspect.
The suspect is described as a Caucasian male, in his mid to late 50s, with a stocky build, wearing a dark coloured t-shirt.
“This was unprovoked assault on an innocent victim that also involved property damage and occurred in the middle of the day where it was witnessed by multiple people in our community,” said Ridge Meadows RCMP Insp. Martin Guay.
“As a result, we would like the public’s assistance in identifying this individual and holding him accountable for his actions.”
Anyone with more information on this incident or the alleged suspect is asked to contact Ridge Meadows RCMP at 604-463-6251 and quote file #2025-19870.
If you wish to remain anonymous, you can report via Crime Stoppers online or by calling 1-800-222-8477.