Man facing robbery and assault charges following alleged attacks in downtown Victoria

A 31-year-old man is facing multiple charges after two separate alleged attacks in downtown Victoria last week left two people with minor injuries.

According to VicPD, both incidents occurred between 10 p.m. and 11 p.m. on Thursday, June 18th and were reported separately.

The first call came in just before 11 p.m. after a man reported being assaulted in the 1100 block of Fort Street.

Police say the suspect allegedly forced open the victim’s vehicle door, struck him and attempted to pull him from the vehicle before fleeing the area.

Officers responding to the call located and arrested a man matching the suspect description a short time later.

Several hours later, at approximately 1:15 a.m. on Friday, June 19th, VicPD received a second report involving an alleged robbery and assault in the 1100 block of Douglas Street.

The complainant told police he had been attacked and robbed of cash and other belongings around 10 p.m. on June 18th, roughly an hour before the Fort Street incident.

Police say the victim recognized the alleged attacker and identified him to investigators.

By the time the second report was made, the suspect was already in custody in connection with the earlier incident.

Both victims suffered minor injuries.

“Violence has no place in our communities,” said VicPD Chief Constable Fiona Wilson in a statement.

“Random attacks like these are deeply unsettling, and they can erode the sense of safety that people should feel in their own city.”

Wilson added that investigators are continuing to examine the motive behind the incidents and asked the public not to prejudge the matter as it moves through the court process.

The BC Prosecution Service has approved charges against 31-year-old Vincent Edward Abraham.

In relation to the Fort Street incident, Abraham is charged with robbery and assault causing bodily harm. For the Douglas Street incident, he is charged with robbery and assault with a weapon.

Abraham remains in custody and is scheduled to appear in court on Thursday, June 25th.

Anyone with information who has not yet spoken with investigators is asked to contact VicPD through the E-Comm non-emergency line at (250) 995-7654 extension 1 and reference file number 26-24766.