Based on coverage from CBC, Daily Hive, Times Colonist, Winnipeg Free Press, and CityNews.
Vancouver police say a 62-year-old man was kidnapped during a home invasion in East Vancouver this week, then rescued after officers tracked down the suspects’ vehicle and boxed it in. Two men, Fazeel Salman, 26, and Reignings Besong Awah, 24, have now been charged with kidnapping and remain in custody, according to the Vancouver Police Department (VPD).
This alarming incident follows a series of public safety concerns in the region, including the recent arrest of a fifth suspect in a 2022 double murder case, which underscores ongoing challenges for law enforcement in maintaining community safety. For more details, see our coverage on the Penticton double murder arrest.
The incident is the latest in a string of high-profile public-safety updates from the VPD in recent days, including a separate purse-snatching that sent a woman to the ground and a warning about a violent offender back in the community.
East Vancouver home invasion and kidnapping
The VPD says it received a 911 call around 9:15 p.m. on Wednesday reporting a home invasion and kidnapping in East Vancouver. Police have not released the location of the home.
According to the VPD, a 62-year-old man was allegedly taken from his home and forced into a vehicle. The victim was later taken to hospital with injuries. Police have not described the injuries in detail.
Vancouver police chase ends near East Broadway
Police say about 30 minutes after the initial call, officers spotted the suspect vehicle near Slocan Street and East Broadway.
The VPD says the vehicle did not stop for police and was pursued to the area of 14th Avenue and Woodland Drive, where officers boxed it in. The two suspects allegedly ran from the vehicle but were arrested with help from the VPD’s canine unit. Police say both suspects remain in custody.
Coverage across outlets largely lines up on the basic sequence: the 911 call, the vehicle being spotted near Slocan and East Broadway roughly half an hour later, and the arrest after officers contained the vehicle around 14th and Woodland.
Kidnapping charges laid against two men
Police identify the accused as Fazeel Salman, 26, and Reignings Besong Awah, 24. Each faces one count of kidnapping, the VPD said in a Friday news release.
One report also says the BC Prosecution Service has approved the charges and that both men are due in court on Monday. Other coverage focuses on the VPD’s announcement of the charges and does not include the court-date detail.
Other recent Vancouver Police Department updates
The kidnapping case comes during what one outlet described as a busy stretch for the VPD.
Police also detailed a separate incident on March 18, just before 4 p.m., near West 8th Avenue and Spruce Street. The VPD says a 59-year-old woman using a walker had her purse grabbed by a 41-year-old man, and she fell to the ground, suffering minor injuries. A driver who witnessed the incident reportedly chased the suspect, returned the purse, and provided a description that helped officers locate the suspect moments later near the seawall, according to Constable Megan Lui.
The VPD has also issued a public warning about Jordan McIntosh, described as a violent offender who was released back into the community less than a month after an escape attempt. Police say McIntosh had been released last September on a conditional sentence order tied to two assault counts and one count of breaching a release order from an incident in 2024. The VPD says one of his conditions was wearing an ankle monitor, which he allegedly cut off before going on the run in early December.
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