Two Pemberton residents had a terrifying wake-up call Friday
morning, after a young man with a knife attacked them as they slept.
Twenty-one year-old Brandon Sarauer of Pemberton allegedly
entered the victims’ home on Hemlock Street just after 5 a.m., and attacked the
occupants. The 32-year-old male victim was able to subdue Sarauer while his
partner ran to a neighbour’s house for help. He was injured in the process and
was taken to the Pemberton Clinic for treatment.
Staff Sergeant Steve LeClair of the Whistler detachment says
the victim’s injuries were relatively minor.
Police are unsure of the motive behind the crime, but say
nothing was stolen, and there is no known connection between the assailant and
the victims.
LeClair says they are seeking Sarauer’s detention until the
matter is dealt with fully by the courts.
“So in this type of thing where his release may put the
general public in jeopardy, we may oppose that release or urge the Crown to
oppose that release,” LeClair explained.
Police also say the attack was an unprovoked, one-off event,
and not a typical break and enter.
“Its not something we’re used to seeing in the corridor, and
not even something we’re particularly used to seeing down in the larger areas
that we police,” said LeClair.
In a press release issued Friday, local RCMP assured the
public that there is no further threat to anyone in the area.
Sarauer is currently in police custody, and is scheduled to
appear in court in North Vancouver on Thursday.
Local RCMP also initiated a “high risk takedown” on a
vehicle early Friday morning, after receiving a complaint of threats uttered
against a male at the taxi loop in Whistler.
The complainant said occupants of a passing vehicle
threatened to kill him and alluded to having weapons. He described the vehicle
and provided a partial BC license plate, which allowed the police to locate the
vehicle heading south on Highway 99 near the Brio entrance.
After locating the vehicle, they cleared all of its
occupants and completed a search of the vehicle to determine if there were any
weapons.
No weapons were discovered, and all passengers were released
after they were informed about why the take down and search was necessary. The
passengers could have been charged with uttering threats, but there wasn’t
sufficient evidence to pursue the charge.
RCMP issued a press release Friday, reminding members of the
public that uttering threats is a criminal offense.