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Man facing charges after ‘reprehensible’ attack on SkyTrain custodian: transit police

Attack led to custodian losing several teeth and bleeding from the mouth
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FILE – The SkyTrain is pictured in Burnaby, B.C. Tuesday, April 14, 2020. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jonathan Hayward

A 25-year-old man is facing charges after a contracted custodian was attacked while cleaning a SkyTrain on Monday (Jan. 25), Metro Vancouver Transit Police said.

According to police, the custodian was working on a SkyTrain headed toward VCC Clark Station when he was approached by a man who allegedly attacked him without provocation. The man allegedly “violently punch him in the face,” leading the custodian to lose multiple teeth and bleed heavily from the mouth.

Police arrested the man in a SkyTrain car at VCC Clark Station in Vancouver, while the victim was taken to hospital.

Ismael Konate, of no fixed address, has been charged with one count of assault causing bodily harm. Konate is well known to police and has been released from custody on multiple conditions including to not be on SkyTrain, to not possess firearms or weapons and to have no contact with the victim.

Konate is scheduled to appear at provincial court in Vancouver on Feb. 9.

“An attack like this is reprehensible. This employee was providing an essential and highly valuable service to the public by maintaining a clean and healthy space for transit users during a pandemic,” said Sgt. Clint Hampton.

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katya.slepian@bpdigital.ca

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