A man who pleaded guilty to a pair of Vancouver stabbings in April 2019 has been given a two-year conditional sentence.
Dominic Nathan Scott Auckland, 22, pleaded guilty to attempted murder and aggravated assault.
Vancouver provincial court Judge Reginald Harris weighed several factors, including community safety, in arriving at his sentence.
"It is troubling that Mr. Auckland's offences are unexplained. However, his performance on bail satisfies me that his behaviour, with appropriate supervision, can be managed, thus, satisfying me that the community would not be endangered if Mr. Auckland served his sentence conditionally," Harris said in his April 1 decision.
The aggravated assault occurred at a parking garage on East Hastings Street while Lucas Steven Bishop went through a bag.
"While Mr. Bishop rummaged through the items, Mr. Auckland walked by, doubled back, and removed a knife from his right pocket," Harris said. "Mr. Auckland then lunged forward and attacked Mr. Bishop from behind. Mr. Bishop received three stab wounds: one to the right shoulder, one adjacent to his spine, and one to his flank near his kidney."
Bishop suffered a partially collapsed lung, which required a chest tube, and wounded that needed to be closed with staples.
Minutes after the attack on Bishop, Auckland entered Andy Livingston Park and approached Lemma Hailu Bartholomeos from behind while he sat on a park bench.
"Mr. Auckland stabbed him multiple times in the neck and shoulders. Mr. Bartholomeos screamed during the attack, and witnesses called 911," Harris said.
Police found Bartholomeos lying in a large pool of blood with a long gash on his throat. The most serious wound was a 12 cm long 'C' pattern cut to the front of his neck. The injury required surgery to his external jugular, esophagus and trachea.
Auckland cut his finger in the attack.
This became the attempted murder charge.
After stabbing Bartholomeos, Auckland went to the hospital for treatment for the injury on his finger. There, police arrested him.
Auckland admitted stabbing Bartholomeos and alluded to attacking Bishop. He also disclosed he had been drinking before the attacks and had been smoking methamphetamine in the weeks prior.
Auckland's mother is a member of the Long Plain Ojibway First Nation, and his father is a member of the Haisla First Nation.
"Mr. Auckland's maternal and paternal grandparents are Indian residential school survivors," Harris said.
"I take judicial notice of the history of colonialism, displacement, and residential schools, and how the history translates into lower education, lower incomes, high unemployment, high rates of substance misuse, and high suicide rates," the judge said.
The judge noted Auckland was in a cycle of addiction, homelessness and experiencing poor mental health for several weeks before his offences.
Harris said Auckland must spend one year at his residence unless accompanied and then abide by a curfew for the next year.
In addition to other orders, Harris said Auckland must participate in assessment, counselling or education programs, including counselling or programming for substance misuse and violence prevention.
