Nanaimo Mounties have apprehended a man who allegedly attacked two dogs and a woman with pepper sprayed and a stick.
The incident happened at Invermere Beach, an off-leash dog park in north Nanaimo, Monday at about 2:45 p.m. A woman was at the beach with two adult friends and their four dogs when a man walked by and started screaming he hated dogs.
One of the dogs, a one year old pit bull, came within two metres of the man, who allegedly hit the animal with a stick he was carrying before pepper-spraying the dog.
When the dog’s owner approached to retrieve her pet, she was also hit with the stick and pepper sprayed on the side of her face.
The man then walked toward another large group of dogs and their owners and started yelling at them about how he hated dogs.
The woman who was assaulted left with her friends and dogs. She had her dog checked over by a veterinarian who determined the dog was fine and she was scheduled for x-rays of her shoulder where she was hit with the stick.
A detailed description of the man was provided to police and a picture of the suspect was posted to various social media groups by those who were involved and witnessed the incident. That exposure resulted in the man being identified and information about him was forwarded to police.
The 55-year-old suspect was arrested Wednesday at about 11 p.m. at his home for assault with a weapon.
He was released that night on a promise to appear at Nanaimo provincial court in September and is prohibited from attending the Invermere Beach off-leash dog park or to possess any weapons.
