Man spews hatred in Richmond drive-thru confrontation

Photo: RCMP

Richmond RCMP are appealing for the public’s help in identifying a man involved in a hate incident earlier this month.

The incident occurred on May 1, when the suspect, who was reportedly standing near the Burger King drive-thru window on Steveston Highway, approached an Asian family in a SUV and began yelling and swearing at them.

A bystander tried to intervene and tell the suspect to leave, however, the suspect then began hurling anti-Asian slurs at him.

Richmond resident Benjamin Wong, the bystander, says he shouted at the suspect to try to redirect his attention.

“The man was shouting racist things at them like ‘China virus’ and ‘go back to your country,’ and ‘because of you people, the world is like this,’” Wong said.

After he intervened, the suspect turned on Wong, uttering threats like “I will kill you,” which were recorded on Wong’s dashcam. Wong also pulled out his phone and began recording the suspect – who then changed his attitude and “pretended to be nice.”

Wong later reported the incident to BC Hate Crimes.

Richmond RCMP are now investigating the incident, which they say they only learned of two days after it happened, once video of it began circulating on social media.

Because of this, according to Richmond RCMP, police were “unable to locate the suspect, identify him and speak to him immediately.”

The suspect is described as Caucasian, 5 ft. 6 in. tall, with a heavy build, short grey hair and a partial beard.

Cpl. Ian Henderson said in a statement on Thursday that the delay in reporting the incident, and providing video evidence to police, has caused “some delay in the progress of this investigation.”