Nanaimo axe attack suspect arrested, victim remains in hospital

Nanaimo axe attack suspect arrested, victim remains in hospital
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The axe-attack victim being treated by BC Ambulance.

Nanaimo RCMP say the suspect accused of seriously injuring a man in an axe attack on Saturday evening has been arrested.

A 39-year-old man was arrested for assault with a weapon following the axe attack in Nanaimo and will attend a judicial bail hearing Monday evening where charges are expected to be formally laid.

RCMP have not released the name of the suspect.

The Nanaimo RCMP bike unit made the arrest early Monday morning.

The victim remains in hospital.

The call about the attack came in shortly after 5 p.m. The attack happened at a bus stop along Front Street bordering the shopping centre.

Orville Drake who witnessed the attack said he’s friends with both the men. He said one took offence to what the other had to say and he pulled out the axe and struck the other man.

“I was scared,” said Drake on seeing it unfold. “He (the victim) was knocked out (unconscious).”

The axe attack comes 13 days after a man fatally stabbed another man in the parking lot of Port Place Mall.

This past week the B.C. Prosecution Service approved a second-degree murder charge against Sean Patterson for the death of Serguei Chiliakhov.

-With files from CHEK’s Kendall Hanson

Laura BroughamLaura Brougham

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