A man with a baseball bat attacked a local senior going for a walk downtown early Sunday morning.
The incident occurred near City Hall at around 6 a.m. on Jan. 11.
Local RCMP have spoken to one person of interest but no arrests have been made.
The senior, who is a 70 year-old Grand Forks resident, did not wish to be identified for his safety and will be referred to as Mr. Jones.
He recalled turning on to 4th Street and noticing a person in front of Selkirk College brandishing a shiny baseball bat.
“He turned around and walked in my direction,” said Jones. “He caught up behind me at the credit union parking area and when I sensed his closeness I faced him and asked what he was up to. He made a statement about someone had knocked on his or his neighbour’s door. He told me to keep walking.”
Jones told the Gazette he wasn’t about to turn his back on a person with a baseball bat.
“I told him I would walk where he wanted me to if he would turn around and walk the opposite direction,” he said. “He began swinging the bat at me and I backed away from him. Eventually, I slipped on some ice and he hit me on the head. He kept aiming for my head.”
Jones said he was on the ground at that point and defending himself with his feet in the air.
“He swung and swung and swung, mostly hitting my feet, but also my arms, legs and calves,” Jones recalled. “He mentioned again about someone knocking on his or his neighbour’s doors and calling the RCMP.”
Jones said he heard a semi-truck unloading at Sears which he figures is pretty rare.
“Hearing the semi, I asked the batter if he heard the motor and perhaps it was the RCMP,” said Jones. “That was enough to stop him to look, that’s all I needed to get off the ground and run over to the truck driver.”
Jones borrowed a cell phone from the truck driver and called 9-1-1. He says the suspect took off towards Buy-Low Foods.
Jones was taken by ambulance to Boundary Hospital where he was kept for two hours as the doctors looked for any possible brain injury.
“I had no open cuts but incredible bruises and pain,” said Jones. “The opinion was that I had no immediate symptoms of a concussion but they could develop.”
Jones said he has been in contact with victim services.
Grand Forks RCMP Staff Sgt. Jim Harrison said that police are still investigating the assault and that it is a priority case.
“The complainant reported having been assaulted by an unknown male in the parking lot of the Grand Forks Credit Union,” said Harrison. “Constables attended the scene where the complainant was being treated by B.C. ambulance staff. The constable determined that the complainant had been out for a walk as he does every morning and saw a male walking west-bound in front of Selkirk College with a baseball bat.”
Harrison explained that the male with the bat followed the complainant and eventually swung the bat at him.
“The complainant tripped in a snow bank and was hit in the head and legs with the baseball bat,” said Harrison. “He got up and ran towards Sears where a delivery man was unloading and called 9-1-1. He sustained a goose egg on the left side of his head and a bruise on his left leg.”
Harrison said the assailant is described as being a male, believed to be in his 20s, approximately 5’10 to 5’11 with a hoody with patterning (not believed to be camoflague) and with a dark beard.
“Immediate patrols couldn’t locate anyone but we did eventually find someone that we believe is a ‘person of interest’ in this case,” said Harrison. “He was interviewed. He flatly denied having any involvement; however, we still consider him a person of interest. The investigation is still continuing. This appears to be an unprovoked attack, obviously. The victim, obviously, did not know the assailant. It wasn’t a targeted attack.”
Harrison said that because the attack was unprovoked it is a very high priority. Harrison added that attacks ‘out of the blue’ are very rare.
“Thankfully, his injuries considering he was attacked with a baseball bat are quite minor,” said Harrison. “He got a good lump on the side of his head which is always a concern and a bruise on his left leg and that’s definitely concerning but thankfully nothing that’s permanent injury or anything of that nature.”