One person has died from his injuries and a man is in custody following a stabbing incident that took place at Nanaimo’s Port Place Mall Sunday night.
The stabbing occurred in the parking lot of Port Place Mall in the 600-block of Terminal Avenue around 7 p.m., with first responders quickly being called to the scene.
The victim staggered into the shopping mall and collapsed outside the walk-in medical clinic, but being a Sunday, the clinic had closed at 6 p.m.
Bystanders tried to provide first aid to the victim and paramedics took over to provide medical care once they arrived. The victim was rushed to Nanaimo Regional General Hospital for treatment but he was later pronounced dead.
Nanaimo RCMP confirmed a man was arrested in connection with the stabbing and taken into police custody, but are not yet saying if he knew the victim.
“As the investigation is only in the preliminary stages, it is too early to say what if any relationship existed between the victim and suspect,” Nanaimo RCMP spokesperson R/Const. Gary O’Brien said in a statement. “Police can though say with confidence, that they are not looking for any other suspects and there is no further risk to the public.”
Photos from the scene showed a cordoned-off section of the mall’s parking lot with several RCMP cruisers behind it. Investigators kept the section of the parking lot closed for several hours as they processed the crime scene.
RCMP confirmed that contrary to reports on social media, the victim was not a Port Place Mall security guard.
On Monday morning, officers took evidence from the blood-spattered Canada Trust ATM, which borders the parking lot where the stabbing occurred.
Police are not saying how it fits into the timeline of what happened Sunday night.
Born-and-raised Nanaimo resident Chris Thompson says he sometimes feels unsafe using the bank machine.
“It’s upsetting because it was such a peaceful town, something’s got to be done. I don’t know what,” Thompson said.
It is Nanaimo’s first homicide of the year just 22 days into the new year.
Anyone with information is asked to call Nanaimo RCMP at 250-754-2345 and quote file number 2023-2530.
Jeff Lawrence
Kendall Hanson
