‘Repeat offender’ arrested in Abbotsford stabbing case

An Abbotsford police cruiser is seen in this undated file image.

Police in Abbotsford say they have apprehended a man with a lengthy criminal history after a seemingly random stabbing at a bus stop earlier this week.

Around 6:15 p.m. Tuesday, a 20-year-old man waiting for the bus in the 32700 block of South Fraser Way was stabbed from behind by an unknown person, according to police. The victim suffered non-life-threatening injuries and was taken to hospital.

On Thursday, police arrested 46-year-old Robert Matthews and charged him with aggravated assault and failing to comply with a probation order. The department described the accused as a “repeat offender with a significant criminal record.”

Online court records suggest Matthews has been committing crimes in Abbotsford for at least 20 years.

“This is a very serious crime that not only impacted the victim, but the community at large. Our major crime detectives worked diligently to identify, locate, and apprehend this repeat violent offender. We have recommended that Mr. Matthews be held in custody,” said Sgt. Derek Baker of the Abbotsford Police Department in a Friday news release.

“This senseless act of violence is both shocking and deeply troubling—it has no place in our community. We must not allow such incidents to become normalized on our streets,” added Chief Const. Colin Watson.