A 40-year-old man is in custody following a rampage Thursday morning that began in at a local shelter and ended with an attack on a Crown prosecutor outside the Prince George courthouse.
Adrian Real Bergeron faces one count each of assault, assault causing bodily harm, intimidation of the justice system and two counts of mischief over $5,000 from the incident, according to court records.
Police were called to the Active Support Against Poverty shelter at Sixth and Dominion at 8:20 a.m. to respond to complaints that the man was being violent towards staff members. A window was found smashed and but the suspect left the site by the time RCMP arrived.
Ten minutes later, they were called to the front steps of the courthouse where sheriffs had apprehended the suspect following the attack.
Prince George RCMP Cst. Lesley Smith said no weapons were involved and the victim, who was transported to hospital, suffered injuries to his face. Asked if they knew each other, Smith said police understand witnesses heard the suspect make comments to the victim, "and therefore we believe this attack was targeted."
Smith said it's the first time in the six years she's been in Prince George that she's heard of a Crown prosecutor or defence lawyer being assaulted.
"What we've heard in the past are threats against somebody at the courthouse or coming to the courthouse and those incidences are definitely more common than an assault, absolutely," Smith said.
Police did not release the of the victim but sources at the courthouse identified him Alex Schmeisser. Moments before Bergeron was walking through the courthouse in an agitated mood and when he went outside, through a punch at the victim, according to witnesses.
Bergeron is scheduled to go to trial on Nov. 2 on charges of assault causing bodily harm and breaking and entering a dwelling house to commit a crime from a Dec. 16, 2010 incident.
On March 21, he was sentenced to 18 months probation with a suspended sentence for two counts of assault.
