Suspect in stabbing of Abbotsford shopkeeper charged

The scene of a Saturday, Aug. 9, stabbing is seen in this image handed out by the Abbotsford Police Department.

Charges have been laid against the man accused of stabbing an Abbotsford store owner Saturday morning.

Timothy Richard Louis Rowley, 40, is now facing charges of assault with a weapon and aggravated assault in connection with the altercation that unfolded at a strip mall near Townline and Maclure roads. He remains in custody.

The victim, who according to police was randomly stabbed by an unknown man who was attempting to steal from the store, remains in hospital.

The Abbotsford Police Department initially said the shopkeeper suffered life-threatening injuries, but in an update Sunday said the individual is currently in stable condition.

Polie said the suspect was on statutory release from a previous conviction at the time of the stabbing.

Statutory release is required by law for incarcerated people after serving two-thirds of a fixed sentence, after which the offender serves the remainder of their sentence under supervision in the community.

Online court records show a man with the same name has a lengthy criminal history of offences in several B.C. cities. He was most recently sentenced to five years, 11 months and 20 days in prison for aggravated assault and breaking and entering in September 2020 for an incident that happened in Maple Ridge in May of 2019.

The records show Rowley is next scheduled to appear in court on Thursday.