Good Samaritans prevent Vancouver robbery and save shop owner, police say

A trio of Good Samaritans foiled an attempted robbery at a Vancouver supermarket over the weekend by chasing the suspect away and calling 911, police said. Just days earlier, one man was killed and another had his hand severed in a seemingly random stabbing in downtown Vancouver.

According to Vancouver police, a 23-year-old store owner was grabbed from behind by a masked man with a knife as he closed a family-run supermarket in East Vancouver around 9 p.m.

The suspect threatened to stab the woman and forcibly pushed her into a nearby alley, Vancouver police said in a statement.

At the same time, a man driving by noticed the couple and thought something was strange. He stopped and flagged down others for help, said Vancouver Police Sergeant Steve Addison.

“Big noise” frightened the suspect

“In this case, everyone did exactly what we encourage people to do,” Addison said.

“The victim made a loud noise. She called for help. She managed to get the attention of bystanders who intervened. They called 911. They yelled at the suspect and we believe their actions caused the suspect to release the victim,” Addison said.

“We are absolutely grateful for their quick response.”

According to police, the 59-year-old suspect, who frequents the area, was located by Vancouver Police Crime Watch volunteers on patrol near Memorial South Park, 29 blocks south of the supermarket, around 10:30 p.m. The suspect is now in custody.

Neighbours who witnessed the incident told CBC that the man who stopped his car was Christopher Boyd, 29, of Vancouver.

In an interview, Boyd said he was driving on 12th Avenue East when he saw a man and a woman near a supermarket.

“He had his arms and a kind of physical, threatening presence over her,” Boyd said. “It was really terrifying all around.”

Boyd said he stopped his car and approached the woman to ask if she was OK. The man told him to leave her alone because they were a couple. But he said the woman didn't respond at first.

She was standing with her back against a wall, half hidden in a corner near baskets of clothes. As Boyd approached, he noticed that the man was wearing a mask.

At this point, Boyd retreated and ran back to 12th Avenue to flag down others for help, fearing the man might have a gun.

“I was terrified when I saw his balaclava, I was downright scared,” he said.

Boyd said he felt terribly sorry for the victim. He was afraid she might think he was leaving her. He wished he could reassure her.

As he waved to drivers, some ignored Boyd, but eventually two men stopped. That's when the victim screamed for help.

All three men shouted at the suspect, who eventually fled, dropping a knife into the bushes behind the store.

“I tried to chase him,” Boyd said. “He let go of her and ran down the alley, so I immediately grabbed her and told her to run back to the street in that direction to get away from him.”

“You have to be there for people”

He said it was scary to think what would have happened if he hadn't overtaken, adding that he would stop again in similar situations.

“You know, no matter what the danger is, you jump in and help people because that's what it's all about. You have to be there for people,” Boyd said.

Gail Hallett, who lives behind the supermarket, heard the screaming and came outside to comfort the victim, praising Boyd and the other men for their help.

“We stayed here with the girl until the police came, the paramedics came and her family came. It was horrible for her,” Hallett said.

Police said the victim was taken to hospital for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries.

Saturday's attempted robbery follows several violent attacks on strangers in Vancouver in recent months. Last week, a stabbing attack in downtown Vancouver killed a 70-year-old man and severed another man's hand. Surgeons later sewed the man's hand back on.

Meanwhile, Saturday's attempted robbery has shaken the neighborhood.

On Sunday, Nakwon Choi waited outside the supermarket, disappointed that the store was closed and shocked to hear about the violence the night before.

“It's really not something you should be worried about, but it's happening and it's a very scary thing,” Choi said.