An East Vancouver teenager has been charged with three counts of assault following a series of seemingly random, violent attacks along the city's seawall last weekend..The 15-year-old teen was arrested after three people were attacked without provocation, according to Vancouver police who confirmed the assaults happened near the Olympic Village portion of the seawall..Cops were first called by a 57-year-old man shortly after 9 p.m. Saturday night after he was chased along the seawall by a teen who, upon catching him, repeatedly punched and kicked the man. While searching for the young suspect, police found another two victims — both women — who had been unsuspectingly punched for no apparent reason..Officers were able to identify and arrest the teen who was still in the area. He was taken to jail, charged with three counts of assault, and subsequently released..Vancouver police say the incident was one of several serious crimes that took place on the weekend which are now under investigation..On Sunday afternoon a woman, 31, was walking on Drake Street when a man whipped a rock at her. The rock missed, striking and damaging a nearby vehicle..Another woman, also 31, was walking near West Pender and Homer Street just before 1 a.m. Monday when she was robbed and assaulted by a woman holding a broken bottle. Police say the victim suffered facial injuries..Several more weekend attacks were detailed by Vancouver police, including a 38-year-old man who was shocked in the leg with a makeshift stun-gun near Main and Hastings Street Sunday afternoon..“This level of violence in a single weekend is concerning, especially when the incidents involve stranger-on-stranger attacks and weapons like knives, bear spray, and other make-shift weapons,” said Vancouver police Sgt. Steve Addison..Hypodermic needle-stabbings, unsuspecting sucker punches, and other forms of violence are among the incidents contributing to Vancouver residents feeling increasingly unsafe..Addison highlighted Monday that violent crime in Vancouver increased more than 7% in 2021, compared to pre-pandemic levels. In the fall of 2021 Vancouver police said about four random attacks were happening per day..Reid Small is a BC-based reporter for the Western Standard.,rsmall@westernstandard.news,.Twitter.com/reidsmall
