(UPDATE: Nov. 8 @ 3:55 pm) - A woman who allegedly stabbed a woman with a hypodermic needle in Vancouver last month has been charged.
The BC Prosecution Service approved one count of aggravated assault against 35-year-old Cathleen Cunningham today.
The incident, which the Vancouver Police Department called an "unprovoked assault," happened near Abbott and West Pender streets on Oct. 27 as another woman was leaving a coffee shop.
“Investigators believe the woman may have been followed out of the coffee shop and confronted by the suspect, who then stabbed her with the dirty needle,” explained Sgt. Steve Addison the day after the incident.
At the time, the VPD said that Cunningham was known to police.
Due to the unknown nature of the needle, the victim was transported to hospital following the incident, but no updates have been provided on her health.
(Original story: Oct. 28 @ 12:35 pm) - A young woman was stabbed in the leg with a hypodermic needle in Vancouver, police say.
It happened as she was leaving a coffee shop near Main and East Pender streets around 5:30 pm on Wednesday.
“Investigators believe the woman may have been followed out of the coffee shop and confronted by the suspect, who then stabbed her with the dirty needle,” said Sgt. Steve Addison.
“Because we don’t know what was in the needle and whether there will be any long-term health impacts, the victim was taken to hospital for treatment.”
Fortunately, the victim quickly called the police and officers were able to arrive on scene, identify a suspect and make an arrest.
This is the latest incident in what has become a troubling trend of random attacks in Vancouver in recent weeks and months.
“All signs point to this being a random and unprovoked assault on a victim who did nothing wrong,” Addison explained.
The 35-year-old suspect is known to police and she was released from custody after agreeing to attend court at a later date.
The investigation is ongoing.
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