UPDATED: Rustad calls on government to tackle violent crime after Vancouver stranger attack leaves one dead, another with hand cut off

A stranger attack in downtown Vancouver has left one man dead and another with his hand cut off.The suspect was located nearby and taken into custody.According to the Vancouver Police Department, the first incident took place around 7:30 a.m. on Wednesday near Cathedral Square on Richards St. and Dunsmuir St. When VPD officers arrived on scene, they discovered a man on the ground with extensive injuries. He was bleeding from his head, and his severed hand was laying beside him. First responders rushed him to a nearby hospital for emergency treatment, and he is expected to survive.The second attack took place just eight minutes later a couple blocks over on West Georgia St. and Hamilton St., in front of the entertainment complex that houses the Queen Elizabeth Theatre and Vancouver Playhouse. Despite first responders' best efforts, the man died at the scene. Neither victim's identity has been released. The suspect has only been described as a 34-year-old man from White Rock. Just over an hour after the attacks, officers were called to Habitat Island near Olympic Village following reports of a man "behaving erratically" and yelling at strangers. He was promptly apprehended and taken to the Vancouver Jail."Attacks like these shake our collective sense of comfort and safety, and we're grateful that a suspect was quickly taken into custody by our officers," VPD Chief Constable Adam Palmer said in a news release. "Although it will take time before we have all of the answers, it does not appear either victim knew the suspect, and we believe these attacks were completely random.""I applaud the witnesses who called police immediately and provided timely information," Palmer added. "I am also extremely proud of the brave VPD officers who responded quickly to tend to the victims, to gather evidence, to arrest the suspect, and to stop this imminent public safety threat.".Authorities have cordened off the entire square in front of the Queen Elizabeth Theatre as they conduct their investigation..In a press release, BC Conservative Party leader John Rustad condemned the attacks, and called on all levels of government to take action to combat violent crime."These latest assaults and killings are not isolated incidents," he said. "They are part of a broader pattern of lawlessness that has taken hold in our communities because of David Eby's weak stance on crime and public safety. The BC NDP has prioritized the rights of criminals over the safety of our citizens, and it's the people of British Columbia who are paying the price."He went on to argue that police are being "let down by a government that refuses to take decisive action against violent offenders," and that under Conservative leadership, criminals will be held accountable for their actions and the streets will be safe once again.