Man injured in hatchet attack at Central City Mall in Surrey

Hatchet attack at busy Surrey mall A victim is in hospital and a suspect is in custody after an altercation outside a Surrey mall turned violent.

Police in Surrey responded to a man attacking another man with a hatchet at Central City Mall on Thursday afternoon.

The assault happened at about 12:45 p.m., and several police vehicles attended the scene.

Witnesses say they saw a shirtless man covered in blood stumble through the food court.

"I heard from other people that there'd been a fight outside," one woman told CTV News. "He looked really disoriented."

The victim, a 50-year-old man, was taken to hospital with non-life threatening injuries. Witnesses helped officers find and arrest the suspect, a 34-year-old man, who was still in the vicinity.

Police say the two people knew each other, but are unsure what led to the altercation.

Another witness told CTV News the victim was struck in the head and neck. He also said police found the suspect at a nearby bus loop.

The small, handheld axe used in the attack could be seen inside an evidence bag on the hood of a police vehicle at the scene.

The small, handheld axe used in the attack is seen here.

With a report from CTV Vancouver's Shannon Paterson