A man facing charges in connection to violent home invasions in Surrey was charged with additional offences Monday relating to an incident involving an attack on a police officer at a local hospital.
David Hoffman, 38, appeared virtually in Surrey provincial court Monday morning for a bail hearing after a string of apparently random home invasions at a south Surrey mobile home park in the early hours of Wednesday morning.
Hoffman is facing charges of assault, attempted robbery, breaking-and-entering and mischief in relation to the incident.
Fraser Health told CTV News the incident at the Peach Arch Hospital occurred around 3:15 a.m. when a person in police custody was brought in.
“While we will not provide details regarding this person’s care history, we can share that they were not admitted to Peace Arch Hospital in the days prior to the police incident,” the health authority said in a statement.
Just before noon, the person in police custody was “involved in a serious incident involving police, our staff and medical staff,” Fraser Health said.
According to the BC Prosecution Service, Hoffman has now been charged with assaulting a peace officer by choking, suffocating or strangling, attempting to disarm an officer, and assault in relation to that incident.
The hearing has been adjourned until Friday, for the court to gather more information and potentially secure a recovery house for Hoffman.
The charges stem from a string of incidents in the mobile home community near the intersection of King George Boulevard and 160 Street.
Surrey police said they were called to the scene around 1:30 a.m. after receiving reports of a man entering homes and attacking people. Security footage from one home obtained by CTV News showed a man approaching the front door before banging on it.
The male homeowner then opened the door before being attacked. The two then exchanged blows.
Holly Clark, who has lived in the neighbourhood for 13 years, said residents remain on edge as they fear the incident will happen in the community again.
“We don’t want to see him around here. I mean, there’s lots of vulnerable people in this community and the other communities around here,” she said.
Gordon Fletcher, the president of the Residents Association for the neighbourhood of Breakaway Bays, where the incident occurred, said there are concerns for Hoffmans mental wellbeing and whether he needs “serious help.”
“Obviously by his actions, he probably does,” he said.
“That’s one thing... The other thing is that our residents should feel comfortable in the home place where they live.”
Hoffman adds residents are “pretty shook up” and it was a “terrorizing” event.
Breakaway Bays is now looking at installing gates for extra security and Fletcher is urging residents to install security features, such as motion-sensor lights.
With files from Ben Nesbit and Ian Holliday
