Suspect in 'racially motivated' attack on elderly man charged with assault

Suspect charged with assaulting senior A suspect has been charged months after an alarming attack in East Vancouver that police described as 'despicable.'

Vancouver — A man accused of pushing an elderly Asian man with dementia to the ground in East Vancouver has been charged with assault.

Jamie Allen Bezanson has been charged with one count of assault in connection with an incident that took place on March 13, the BC Prosecution Service says.

Surveillance video of the incident released by Vancouver police showed an elderly man wandering into a convenience store near 1st Avenue and Nanaimo Street. Police say staff members at the store were trying to assist the 92-year-old, who has "severe dementia," when the suspect started shouting anti-Asian remarks. Some of the remarks were allegedly about COVID-19.

Police say the altercation continued outside, and the senior was allegedly shoved. The man fell to the ground and hit his head, police said.

VPD released photos and surveillance video of the incident in April in an effort to identify a suspect and said it was being investigated as a hate crime. At the time, police called the incident "despicable" and described it as "racially motivated."

Bezanson's first court appearance is scheduled for Aug. 10 in Vancouver Provincial Court.