Vancouver police witness alleged assault on 86-year-old woman, leading to charge

Crown counsel has approved an assault charge after Vancouver Police Department officers witnessed a man allegedly push an 86-year-old woman to the ground in the Downtown Eastside. The incident happened Saturday afternoon on Hastings Street near Columbia Street, as District 5 officers conducted proactive patrols. The woman uses a walker and suffered a cut to her forehead in the fall.

Officers immediately arrested the suspect while the woman received medical treatment from emergency health services. She was later taken to hospital and is expected to make a full recovery. Felix Harris, 40, has been charged with one count of assault.

“Proactive policing works,” Sgt. Adam Donaldson said. Without video evidence of the incident, he said, the officers’ observations were the next best evidence and led to a swift arrest.