Man, 19, charged in stabbing of 67-year-old SkyTrain passenger after seat dispute

A 19-year-old from Surrey, B.C., has been charged after a man in his 60s was stabbed on a SkyTrain in December.

Siwakorn Wangcharoensap faces charges of aggravated assault and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose.

Transit police said in a written statement that on Dec. 4, 2021, a dispute emerged over a seat on a SkyTrain departing Surrey's Scott Road Station eastbound around 1 p.m. PT, resulting in the 67-year-old man being stabbed.

Police said the 67-year-old accidentally bumped into another male passenger when they both attempted to sit in the same seat, but he ignored the situation and moved to another part of the train. The other male then allegedly approached the him, pushed up close to his face and demanded an apology.

The man then pushed the aggressor onto a nearby seat and attempted to hold him there. He was then allegedly stabbed.

As the SkyTrain arrived at Gateway Station, the suspect ran off the train and out of the station. The victim was taken to the hospital with non-life threatening stab wounds.

Wangcharoensap is known to police and is being held in custody, officers said. He was recognized by Metro Vancouver Transit Police Crime Suppression Team members as they worked on an unrelated case.

"A person was stabbed; there is no feelgood ending to a file like this," Const. Mike Yate said in the statement.

"The seriousness of this incident was not lost on our investigators. Our general investigation unit worked tirelessly to identify and arrest this violent suspect, bringing a successful conclusion to this investigation."