A White Rock man has been charged after two separate stranger attacks in Vancouver Wednesday, where one man died and another had his hand cut off.
Brendan Colin McBride, 34, from White Rock has been charged with second-degree murder and aggravated assault. None of the allegations have been proven in court.
At 7:39 a.m. on Sept. 4, a 56-year-old man was attacked near Cathedral Square. Vancouver police found him bleeding from the head with his hand severed.
Minutes later, 7:46 a.m., and less than 350 metres away, another man was attacked at West Georgia and Hamilton streets. The man, believed to be 70 years old died at the scene.
Police believe both of these incidents were unprovoked stranger attacks.
A person who was walking their dog near Habitat Island called the police just after 9 a.m. for a man behaving erratically. The person told police the stranger was yelling at him. Unbeknownst to him, the person he was interacting with was the suspect police were looking for.
Using a drone, Vancouver police officers located the suspect and arrested him.
Francis David Laporte, 70, has been identified as the man killed.
Vancouver police confirm the man's hand that was severed was able to be reattached at the hospital and he remains in hospital undergoing surgery. For privacy reasons, police are not releasing his name.
Man had 60 prior 'contacts' with police
During a press conference on the day of the attacks, VPD Chief Adam Palmer said the suspect has a lengthy history with police.
"This appears to be a very troubled man who has a lengthy history of mental health-related incidents, which have resulted in more than 60 documented contacts with police throughout Metro Vancouver," said Palmer.
At the time of the attacks, McBride was on probation from a 2023 assault in White Rock.
"My understanding is that he was not breaching his conditions by being in Vancouver and that the conditions on the probation order were quite, quite light,” said Palmer.
The charges had been stayed against McBride after previous serious incidents, according to police.
"Charges were not pursued. He has a history also of assaulting police and health-care workers," Palmer said.
In 2023, McBride was charged and found guilty of assault in White Rock. In 2021, McBride was charged and found guilty of assault causing bodily harm in North Vancouver.
McBride remains in custody. His next court appearance is Sept. 18.
Anyone who witnessed the attacks on Sept. 4 and who has not come forward is asked to contact Vancouver Police Homicide at 604-717-2500.
