Beginning March 22/05 a young teenage boy was attacked by a group of pre-teens carrying knives and demanding money. Then on March 29 a 20 year old man was severely stabbed by the same suspected group.

However when three women where subsequently threatened (but not otherwise harmed) by these youngsters, the police suddenly put out a media alert TO WOMEN to BE VIGILANT. No warning was ever given for men or young boys to do likewise - the warning was specifically given TO WOMEN ONLY.

 

Below are highlighted the reported details of the first two attacks as reported by The Province as a footnote to the three women attacked, which the media entitled "Young thugs attack women". Note these men we both STABBED and injured, while the women were NOT!

Note also that police advise ALL women to be "vigilant" - yet in every other case where a man LAWFULLY defended themselves, the police charged the men, or considered doing so, while warning that they did not condone "vigilantism".

- On March 22/05, a teen walking his dog in Central Park was accosted by five youths. The same night, a 30-year-old man was stabbed when he refused to give three teenage boys money in the 6400-block Telford Ave.

- On Monday, a 20-year-old Vancouver man was stabbed in the stomach while jogging through Central Park. The victim said he was approached by a male who asked for money. When he refused, the suspect attacked him.

Young thugs attack women
Preteens with knives terrorizing the Metrotown area

Ian Austin
The Province


March 31, 2005

CREDIT: Ric Ernst, The Province
Lakota Desjarlais, 13, says she always carries something to protect herself on her walks to and from school.

 

CREDIT: Ric Ernst, The Province
Bessie Liu won't let her daughter walk home from school alone.
 

 

 

 

CREDIT: Ric Ernst, The Province
Nora Maldonado was recently confronted by a homeless man.



 

Police are shocked and women are petrified after three attacks on women in Burnaby by preteen terrors, one just 10 years old.

Burnaby RCMP believe a group of knife-wielding youths is responsible for the three Tuesday night attacks, which took place over two hours near Metrotown. In each case, the women were first asked for the time.

"Investigators believe these three attacks are related," said Const. Pierre Lemaitre. "What is bewildering and shocking is the young age of the suspects.

"Police are warning women to be vigilant. If any boy you do not know approaches you and asks for the time, be prepared to run or defend yourself. Screaming for help appears to be effective in scaring off these young boys."

The three attacks came in quick succession:

- 9:40 p.m. A 32-year-old woman jogging along 18th Avenue near Edmonds sees eight boys emerge from a wooded area. The leader of the pack asks for the time, then flips open a 15-centimetre knife. She makes a run for it, and the eight chase her. One trips her, she falls to the ground, but she scares them off with her screaming. The boy with the knife is a 10-year-old Caucasian with black hair and wearing a dark bomber jacket.

- 9:55 p.m. A 28-year-old woman walking south on Royal Oak near Beresford is approached by two boys aged about 12. One asks her for the time. The other, wielding a knife, shouts, "Give me the money" and steals her backpack. The two are last seen running south on Royal Oak.

- 11:49 p.m. A 25-year-old woman walking near Maywood Park is approached by two boys. One asks her for the time and motions to his pocket, where he appears to be pointing something at her. The woman starts to walk away, but is kicked to the ground. She screams and the pair run off.

Women in the Metrotown area said yesterday they never walk the mean streets alone at night.

"I would never walk here at night," said UBC student and bank employee Nora Maldonado, 20. She was recently confronted by a homeless man near near Metrotown SkyTrain station.

"He cornered me in the grass, and I yelled and he ran away. I was afraid, but it was broad daylight."

Lakota Desjarlais said she packs "protection" when she walks to school, and is wary if strangers approach. "I like to make sure I carry something," said the 13-year-old student. "I protect myself."

Desjarlais said she's always careful not to walk at night and ignores groups she doesn't like the look of.

Maureen Whitworth, a Burnaby vet clinic worker, said she never walks near Metrotown after dark.

She's also concerned about nearby Central Park, where a number of assaults have taken place recently. "It's a beautiful park, but you can't visit unless you have a big group of people with you."

Bessie Liu won't let her nine-year-old daughter walk home from school alone. "I always walk my daughter home from school," said Liu. "I feel safe in the daytime, but I won't walk around at nighttime."

Other recent assaults:

- On March 22, a teen walking his dog in Central Park was accosted by five youths. The same night, a 30-year-old man was stabbed when he refused to give three teenage boys money in the 6400-block Telford Ave.

- On Monday, a 20-year-old Vancouver man was stabbed in the stomach while jogging through Central Park. The victim said he was approached by a male who asked for money. When he refused, the suspect attacked him.

- Burnaby RCMP have stepped up foot patrols around Central Park. A Tuesday-night sweep turned up a 15-year-old boy hiding in the park who was wanted on a warrant for an alleged attack on his mother.

http://www.canada.com/vancouver/theprovince/news/story.html?id=e526f69e-b897-427c-ad62-fd5deb4d0f03
 

Here is the story as reported by CTV Vancouver on their website just a week before the attacks referred to in the above story. However in the TV broadcast, VPD representatives spoke on Camera against this sort of lawful self-defence and described the clerks actions as "vigilantism". 

Video Store Clerk Foils Robber

March 23, 2005

Martial arts training came in handy for a video store clerk last night.

He helped foil a robber. 21 year-old Brandon Zentner's arm and leg are bandaged after he took matters into his own hands.

He was in the middle of his shift at Willow Video in Langley, when a man came in with a gun and demanded cash. While the employees were getting the cash, the gunman put his weapon down on the counter. That gave Zentner just enough time to grab it and a struggle ensued. He was pulled over a counter-top, but was able to wrestler the robber to the ground with the help of customers and other staff. Although the gun wasn't loaded, it turns out the robber also had a knife.

32 year-old Cory Joseph Makela of Burnaby appeared in court this afternoon. He’s charged with robbery and weapons offences. He is being held in custody and will be in court again on March 30th.

http://www.vancouvertelevision.com/topnews.jsp?id=/news/stories/2005/03/news-20050323-02.htm