Following an assault involving a group of teens in Duncan last week, a local business owner says such attacks are becoming all too common.
Will Arnold is referring to an incident that took place last Wednesday at 11 p.m. at the intersection of Fourth and Jubilee Street.
“These kids were just walking down the street saying hello when they were rushed from behind and beaten up pretty bad,” Arnold says. “It’s a concern for a lot of people in the community.”
Arnold says this incident is just one in a series he says is creating fear in the downtown area, and it’s getting out of hand.
“I’ve been communicating with our unhoused and the community for around eight years over these situations, and things are growing more at an alarming rate,” he says. “I can’t put my thumb on what it is, but it’s concerning.
Although Arnold says he is puzzled at the spike in the number of assaults happening in the downtown area, he says most of them happen at night, and the city should look at investing more to provide residents with peace of mind if they go downtown.
“We have no nighttime security, and that’s where a lot of the incidents are starting to happen,” he says. “I would love to see either more bylaws at night and some security patrols, and make the public feel safe again.”
In February, two people were arrested after the owner of Hanks Handy Mart was assaulted as he pursued two shoplifting suspects.
We have reached out to North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP for a comment.
