Metro Vancouver Transit Police have identified and arrested a suspect believed to be responsible for a violent robbery on SkyTrain that included disgusting racial insults.
At approximately 9:10 p.m. on Tuesday, a SkyTrain attendant asked a man to step off the train at 22nd Street Station in New Westminster, as there was visible vomit on his clothes and the floor, said Transit Police in a news release. “The man took exception to this request and began threatening the attendant and hurling racially charged expletives at him,” said police. “The suspect then entered another train car and turned his racially-charged tirade toward a passenger there, allegedly demanding that the passenger give him all of his money. When the passenger told the man he didn’t have any money, the suspect came within inches of the victim’s face, allegedly, stating something to the effect of ‘give me your headphones … don’t make me stab you with this screw driver.’”
No screwdriver, however, was seen say police. When the train arrived at Royal Oak Station in Burnaby, the victim tried to take a photo of the suspect who was now walking away.
“This enraged the suspect, who forced open the doors of the elevator where the passenger had taken refuge,” say police. “The suspect then allegedly violently punched the victim upward of 30 times before stealing his headphones and leaving the station.”
Transit Police say the suspect returned to Royal Oak SkyTrain station a few minutes later, where he was arrested thanks to assistance from the Burnaby RCMP.
A suspect has now been charged with robbery and uttering threats. Remanded into custody is 31-year-old Clinton Sebastiano.
