Suspect in East Vancouver double homicide arrested, police say

Vancouver police say they have arrested a 54-year-old man in connection to the double homicide that occurred in the city’s Joyce-Collingwood neighbourhood Friday afternoon.

The suspect, who police did not name, was found with non-life-threatening injuries at the scene of the homicides, the Vancouver Police Department said in an update on the case Saturday.

“He remains in police custody and charges have not yet been laid,” the VPD statement reads.

The man’s arrest comes after police were called for reports of a stabbing inside an apartment building near Vanness Avenue and Spencer Street shortly before 2 p.m. Friday.

Responding officers found a 50-year-old woman with life-threatening injuries at that location, and later located two female homicide victims in another building near Vanness Avenue and Joyce Street.

“Police believe the stabbing and the homicides are connected,” police said in their update.

“Investigators are continuing to collect and analyze evidence, and the homicide victims have not yet been identified.”

In their initial statement about the incident Friday, police said two people were dead and two others had suffered “serious injuries.”

Asked for clarification Saturday, VPD spokesperson Sgt. Steve Addison confirmed the suspect is one of the two people who was reported as injured on Friday.

The VPD asked anyone with information related to the case to call its Homicide Unit at 604-717-2500.