North Vancouver RCMP are investigating after a restaurant worker was the victim of an apparent stranger assault in Lower Lonsdale, Saturday.
The incident happened around 10:45 p.m. on the 100 block of First Street West.
“We attended and found one victim injured as a result of the assault. He was brought to hospital and subsequently released,” said North Vancouver RCMP Sgt. Peter DeVries, who added the investigation is still in its early stages. “We have a number of investigators working on the file, speaking to witnesses and doing various investigative tasks.”
The owners of Dave & Mel’s Pizzeria announced on Instagram Sunday that they would be closed for the day due to an incident involving a staff member. They’ve since launched an online fundraiser to help their chef, Jean Sebastien Jenson, get back on his feet.
“During end of day cleanup, he was randomly attacked after taking out the garbage in front of the pizzeria at 113 First Street West in the Lower Lonsdale area of North Vancouver. The individual caught Jean Sebastien off guard and repeatedly [struck] him with a blunt metal object,” the GoFundMe campaign statement reads. “There will be a long road to recovery and Jean Sebastien is left unable to work indefinitely. We are raising funds to assist him and his family during this difficult time.”
The campaign's organizers are aiming to raise $10,000.
DeVries said RCMP are asking anyone with information about the attack to come forward, including those who may have surveillance or dashcam footage, by calling the non-emergency line at 604-985-1311.
