Mounties in Nanaimo have arrested a 28-year-old man in connection with an alleged assault at a downtown hotel left a man seriously injured.
On Thursday, the RCMP received a complaint about a man being tied up, viciously beaten and robbed at the hotel.
Police began investigating the incident as a potential hate crime, based on the sexual orientation of the victim, who is a member of the LGBT community.
In a statement released Sunday morning, police said a suspect was taken into custody without incident at Terminal Park Mall on Friday.
Gabriel Stephen Nelson of Qualicum Beach has been charged with aggravated assault, forcible confinement and robbery.
“Our investigation is continuing and will include looking at what may have motivated this assault" says Cpl. Jon Stuart of the Nanaimo RCMP.
Nelson is set to appear in Court on Monday.
Police are asking anyone with information about the incident to contact them at 250-754-2345 or Crime Stoppers anonymously at 1-800-222-8477.
