Duncan residents and business owners rallied downtown to speak up and say enough is enough, and demand the province take action to restore public safety.
The rally was prompted by a steady increase in what supporters say is an inexcusable increase in crime after the owner of Hank’s Handy Mart was assaulted during a robbery, which they say shouldn’t have happened in the first place.
Two men were arrested and later released after they were charged with robbery and assault causing bodily harm after the store owner was attacked on Feb. 11.
Jung Woo Kim has been attending to business at the downtown Duncan store while his father recovers from his injuries.
Kim says the family has operated the business for several years and crime is becoming all too common in the city.
“We’ve been here for quite some time now, and this unfortunately this is happening more frequently,” he says.
Kim says his dad sustained significant injuries in the attack earlier this month, and the road to a full recovery is still ongoing.
“He’s slowly recovering, he has his ups and downs as pain arises from out of nowhere,” he says. “He suffered quite a bit of bruising and was beaten up, but he’s recovering well.”
Kim didn’t elaborate on what he would like to see done with the two men, just that he wants them to go through the court system and face justice.
Supporters rallied behind Kim, along with vice-president of the Nanaimo Public Safety Association Kevan Shaw, asking the province to immediately implement mandatory involuntary care in order to save lives and restore law and order to the streets of BC.
