The assault of a senior at the Lansdowne Bus Exchange has reignited debate about safety in downtown Kamloops, with residents expressing growing unease even as RCMP maintain there is no rise in unprovoked attacks.
“While I can certainly understand public concern, I can assure you that we are not seeing a rise in unprovoked attacks such as this in the downtown core or elsewhere in Kamloops,” Staff Sgt. Janelle Shoihet told the Chronicle.
“Assaults such as this are highly unusual.”
Shoihet’s comments came after Kamloops residents expressed concern following an assault at the Lansdowne Bus Exchange in which the victim was seriously injured.
The incident occurred between 7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. on June 5, but was not reported until about 1 p.m. that afternoon. RCMP released few details about the circumstances surrounding the assault. However, Radio NL reported a 75-year-old man suffered a fractured jaw and required surgery, although police have not confirmed those details.
One resident sounding the alarm in the weeks following the attack is former mayoral candidate and Thistle Farms owner Dieter Dudy. Like the RCMP, he believes the June 5 attack is unrelated to an increase in homeless and transient activity downtown. But, as with the two homicides in the city’s core this year, it has heightened people’s awareness of the issue.
At this time of year, he’s downtown at least once a week for the Farmers’ Market, and has noticed a gradual change over the last couple of decades. He said there was a time when he would recognize many of the downtown’s disenfranchised residents, and there was a level of respect for the people and the city. That’s not the case anymore.
“I find there’s been an element that’s creeped into our area that’s more predatory. I think some have more complex behaviour,” said Dudy.
“I still maintain that 80 to 85 percent of them are people who have simply fallen on hard times, are in a downward spiral and need help.”
But that remaining 15 to 20 percent are partly responsible for an increase in crime and vandalism downtown and in other parts of the city. Dudy said this has led to a mixed response from the public, with some people angry and wanting the problem to go away, while others are apathetic.
“People are really tired of the whole thing,” he said.
As for a solution, Dudy isn’t sure. What is clear to him is that the current approach to addressing the problem isn’t working, and the fault lies with all levels of government, he said.
The suspect in the June 5 assault is described as an Indigenous man with a fit build, standing about five-foot-eight, who was wearing a T-shirt and jeans at the time of the incident.
The investigation remains ongoing. RCMP have not indicated whether the victim and suspect were known to one another or what may have led to the assault.
“We continue to seek public assistance and witnesses in an effort to identify the suspect in this investigation,” said Shoihet.
Anyone who witnessed the incident or has information that could assist investigators is asked to contact Kamloops RCMP and reference file No. 2026-17928.
This is not the only recent violent incident in the city’s downtown. Mounties were called to the 200-block of Columbia Street on May 5 following reports of gunfire. In a release, police confirmed one person had died and that evidence gathered at the time suggested the homicide was not random.
In March, Emmanuel “Manny” Brooks died after a targeted shooting near Seymour Street, another case that raised concerns about crime in the city’s core.
RCMP continue to investigate the January death of Muhammad “Ash” Zafar. Investigators initially said the case appeared isolated, with no broader risk to public safety, but later revised that assessment, urging caution from those using online dating apps, especially men-seeking-men sites.