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(File photo/ Prince Albert Police Service)
P.A. Crime

Assault of elderly man: family says a hockey card deal went sideways

Aug 7, 2019 | 1:48 PM

An 87-year-old man remains in hospital but is speaking to his family for the first time since he was stabbed in the neck last weekend in Prince Albert.

Donnie Seaborne is the man’s son, and told paNOW his father, who is an avid hockey card collector, had told him he had met a woman in the downtown area Saturday afternoon, to buy hockey cards.

“She said ‘Well give me a ride and I’ll take you there.’ He’ll give anybody a ride, you know, so he gave her a ride,” he said.

Seaborne said his father drove into a back alley and came to a stop before the woman pulled out a knife and demanded all his money.

“He said [the knife] was about six or seven inches long, and kind of looked like brass,” Seaborne said.

When the elderly man pulled out his wallet and showed he had no money, the woman stabbed him in the right side of his neck before running off.

“He didn’t even know he got stabbed until he saw the blood,” Seaborne said, adding his father then drove himself to hospital where he collapsed in the emergency department. Seaborne said his father was finally able to sit up yesterday and hopes to see his father released from hospital within the week.

The Prince Albert Police Service aren’t saying much about their investigation as they continue to collect evidence.

However, the Criminal Investigation Division said it appears the incident – on the 600 block of 13th Street West – was an isolated one. Seaborne said he does not believe that.

“I think she could do it again, absolutely,” he said.

Speaking with paNOW, prior to the family’s comments, Inspector Craig Mushka said police don’t feel there is any risk to the public.

“The reason we alerted the public in this particular situation was to ask the public if they had seen anything to come forward with any information,” he said.

Mushka said neighbours in the area may have security surveillance footage that could be of value to investigators.

“People have set up home security systems or doorbell cams, and we’ve found those videos have been very useful in other recent investigations,” he said.

There has been an outcry on paNOW’s social media channels following the incident with some suggesting the streets of P.A. had become increasingly dangerous, especially in light of such an elderly person being assaulted.

Mushka said he understood the public’s response.

“I can appreciate that the incident itself is troubling, but I think that without knowing all the facts, it’s hard to comment on that,” he said. “I think that the public, as far as how they conduct their day-to-day activities, can continue to do that without any fear.”

—with files from Glenn Hicks

nigel.maxwell@jpbg.ca

On Twitter:@princealbertnow

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