A White Rock man charged with murder and aggravated assault against two strangers in Vancouver had his first court appearance on Sept. 18.
Brendan Colin McBride, 34, has been charged with second-degree murder and aggravated assault.
None of the allegations has been proven in court.
McBride appeared in Vancouver Provincial Court Wednesday by video from North Fraser Pretrial Centre. He was wearing a red sweater and answered 'yes, sir' and 'yes, your honour'. McBride also stated his full name and date of birth when asked.
Crown counsel Colleen Smith told the judge that ‘“we have been in the process of Crown providing disclosure to defence, a significant package went out to them yesterday.”
The matter has be adjourned to Oct. 4 at 9:30 a.m.
Francis David Laporte
Judge David St. Pierre asked McBride’s lawyer if his client agrees to remain in custody until Oct. 4, to which he responded yes.
The case dates back to Sept. 4, when a 56-year-old man was attacked at 7:39 a.m. near Cathedral Square. Vancouver police found the man bleeding from his head with his hand severed.
Minutes later, at 7:46 a.m., and less than 350 metres away, another man was attacked at West Georgia and Hamilton streets. The man died at the scene.
Francis David Laporte, 70, has been identified as the man killed.
Vancouver police confirmed the man whose hand was severed was able to have it reattached at the hospital. For privacy reasons, police are not releasing his name.
Police believe both of these incidents were unprovoked stranger attacks.
At the time of the attacks, McBride was on probation from a 2023 assault in White Rock.
VPD Chief Adam Palmer said McBride is a very troubled man who has a lengthy history of mental health-related incidents, "which have resulted in more than 60 documented contacts with police throughout Metro Vancouver."
