A 34-year-old White Rock man suspected of fatally stabbing one person and slicing the hand off of another in downtown Vancouver on Wednesday (Sept. 5) has been charged. 

Vancouver police say Brendan Colin McBride is facing one count of aggravated assault and one count of second-degree murder. 

The attacks occurred in quick succession Wednesday morning. Officers originally responded to a call near Richards and Dunsmuir streets at 7:38 a.m., where they found a 56-year-old man with a wound to his head and a severed hand.

Eight minutes later, at West Georgia and Hamilton streets, a second man was attacked. That victim, a 70-year-old, died from his injuries. He has been identified as Francis David Laporte.

Vancouver police said Thursday that the injured man underwent surgery and remains in hospital. VPD has chosen not to name him for privacy reasons.

Officers found and arrested McBride shortly after 9 a.m. near Olympic Village, with the help of a drone. He remains in custody and is set to appear in court next on Sept. 18. 

At a press conference Wednesday afternoon, Vancouver Police Chief Const. Adam Palmer said the attacks appeared to be random, unprovoked and on strangers. He added that the suspect seemed to be "very troubled" and that police were looking into whether mental health was a factor.

McBride also has a history of assaulting police and social workers, according to Palmer. 

Anyone with information or who witnessed the attacks is asked to contact VPD.

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