Vancouver police are recommending a psychiatric assessment for a suspect who allegedly stabbed a 71-year-old man in the chest at a busy coffee shop Wednesday, then sat down and waited for his arrest.
The victim was sitting alone in Waves Coffee House on West Hastings Street at around 3 p.m. when a stranger sat down next to him and -- without uttering a word -- plunged a knife into the senior's torso.
"To the shock of others who were sitting nearby, the suspect then allegedly stood up and pushed the knife further into the victim's chest," Const. Lindsey Houghton said Thursday.
Several bystanders rushed to answer the senior's cry for help, but witnesses say the suspect stood by and was sitting in a chair at the coffee house when attending officer arrived.
Mohamed Amer, 30, has been charged with attempted murder and obstructing a peace officer. He was scheduled to appear in court Thursday, and has been remanded into custody.
Houghton said Amer has a history of "mental health-related incidents" in the city, and police are asking the court to examine his background and conduct a psychiatric assessment.He was arrested twice on Tuesday under the Mental Health Act, and was sent to hospital for assessment in both cases.
The suspect is also known to police across Canada for both violent and property-related crimes, and is wanted on a warrant in Ottawa for breath of probation.
The victim remains in hospital in critical but stable condition. Area resident Rick McLean said the senior is a well-known regular at the coffee shop where he was attacked.
"He's good people, comes in here all the time," McLean said. "Easygoing, says hi to everybody, gets coffee, buys you a coffee if you don't have any cash."
"Absolutely a pleasant person. He didn't deserve that, that's for sure."
