An individual sitting on a bench on Pandora Avenue Thursday night was stabbed multiple times in an apparent random attack after being verbally confronted by a stranger.
The victim was taken to hospital and appears to have non-life-threatening injuries, police said.
While Victoria police were dealing with the stabbing, a forensic officer was approached by a man who raised a skateboard and swung it at the officer’s head. The officer was able to fend off the attack and told the man he was under arrest.
The man tried to run off but two other nearby officers caught him. He was arrested and taken to police cells, where it was learned that he had an outstanding warrant with another police department.
The man was later released with future court dates.
Police were alerted to the stabbing after they were called just after 9:30 p.m. to a residence in the 1400-block of Harrison Street, which runs off Pandora Avenue parallel to Fernwood Road. They found Victoria firefighters were already there tending to the stabbing victim.
A police dog and officers from forensic identification helped locate a potential crime scene in the 1000-block of Pandora, near Pandora and Vancouver Street.
No arrests have been made.
The suspect is described as five-foot-five with a medium build and hair past his ears, facial hair and an unkempt appearance.
Witnesses are being sought by the Victoria police Major Crime Unit.
Call Victoria police at 250-995-7654, extension 1, with any information about either incident.
jbell@timescolonist.com
