Man pleads guilty to murder, assault in North Vancouver library stabbing spree
Posted May 29, 2023 11:23 am.
Last Updated May 29, 2023 7:29 pm.
Editor’s note: This article contains some disturbing details, discretion is advised.
The man who stabbed numerous people in and around the Lynn Valley Library in North Vancouver two years ago has pleaded guilty to murder and other charges.
Yannick Bandaogo pleaded guilty in a New Westminster court Monday to second-degree murder, several charges of attempted murder, and one count of aggravated assault.
Bandaogo, who is originally from Quebec but has no fixed address according to the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT), made his plea in French.
He didn’t speak to the court on Monday, other than to answer the judge that he understood the consequences of pleading guilty and giving up his right to a trial.
The attack at the end of March 2021 left one woman dead and six more hurt. It was widely condemned as “disturbing” and “heinous.”
Crown Counsel Jean-Benoit Deschamps says Bandaogo’s actions that day “had the intent of causing death.”
“When you could hear Mr. Bandaogo pleading guilty – hopefully, the community as a whole and the victim will be able to start the healing process with those guilty pleas entered, and not relive through a fulsome trial the trauma that happened on that day,” he said.
District of North Vancouver Mayor Mike Little says he didn’t see the guilty plea coming.
“I hadn’t had it communicated to me before that there was contrition or acceptance of his actions and so I am a bit surprised by that,” he told CityNews.
He says he hopes this will help bring forward a resolution for people in the community.
“It was just such a tragic event that deeply affected our residents,” he said. “Our concern first and foremost is for the grieving families, making sure that their needs are looked after.”
IHIT Insp. Michelle Tansey previously said Bandaogo did not have any ties to the victims.
“We can establish that the accused was unknown and did not have any links to any of the victims, based on the information so far. The accused does have links to Quebec, and we’re still trying to determine what brought him to the West Coast,” Tansey said.
“There’s some part of the story that we’ll never know. Some part of this poor story that only Mr. Bandaogo – only he knows about it,” Deschamps added.
The stabbings began at around 1:45 p.m. when first responders found a chaotic scene.
At the time, Steve Mossop told CityNews he and his partner witnessed the aftermath of the stabbing spree.
“We were driving up Lynn Valley Road and we saw a woman that was covered in blood and waving her arms and we thought it was a car accident. So, we stopped to assist her bleeding, she was in quite a state and she said ‘the guy just attacked me,’” he said.
“There was a man, there was an older woman, there was a younger woman, a mom — a random group of individuals in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
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Several videos showing the suspect being arrested were shared on social media. There were reports the suspect injured himself before he was taken into custody.
The tragedy rocked the North Vancouver community, and an outpouring of support came from across the country.
Former premier John Horgan posted a message to Twitter expressing support for the victims and their families.
“Devastated by the news of the attack in North Vancouver. To the victims and their families, all of BC is with you and the North Van community tonight,” he wrote.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also posted to Twitter saying, “My heart is in North Vancouver tonight. To everyone affected by this violent incident in Lynn Valley, know that all Canadians are keeping you in our thoughts and wishing a speedy recovery to the injured.”
One year after the attack, the District of North Vancouver unveiled a memorial at the Lynn Valley Village Plaza. A dogwood tree now sits at the site.
Bandaogo’s three-day sentencing hearing is set to begin July 5.
His defense counsel, Georges Rivard, says anything related to his state of mind or mental health issues will have to wait until July.
“The only thing we can comfortably discuss today – is the fact that he took responsibility for his actions by entering the guilty pleas at the opening of the trial.”
–With files from Martin MacMahon, Kier Junos, and CityNews Staff
