Man charged with assault after stranger attack in Strathcona

A 31-year-old man has been charged after a random attack in a Vancouver neighbourhood Wednesday.

According to police, a man was walking his dog in McLean Park in the Strathcona neighbourhood at around 6:20 p.m. when the suspect allegedly approached him from behind and held a knife to his neck.

The suspect took off after bystanders began to scream.

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“We believe the incident was unprovoked, with no apparent motive,” Sgt. Steve Addison said in a statement to CityNews.

In a neighbourhood Facebook group, a witness to the incident wrote that the attacker was initially sleeping on a bench before being woken up.

Shawn Cloud has been charged with assault with a weapon, and has since been released from custody ahead of his next court date on Sept. 15.