A Halifax man accused of attacking a homeless man in a park is facing additional charges after he allegedly breached his release conditions.
Jaspaul Nijjar, 24, was initially charged with assault, causing a disturbance, resisting arrest and two breaches of court orders. Now, police say he is also charged with breach of undertaking and breach of probation.
Police responded to Victoria Park around 3 p.m. Wednesday after receiving several 911 calls that a man was being assaulted.
Witnesses told police that a man had repeatedly punched a 61-year-old man as he sat on a bench in the park.
Police say there was an exchange of words between the two men and the suspect made disparaging comments about the alleged victim’s living conditions.
Police say the homeless man sat defenseless while the suspect allegedly attacked him, until a bystander stepped in.
“The suspect punched the individual several times in the face,” says Const. Pierre Bourdages. “The assault went on until a bystander interfered and stopped the assault from happening.”
The suspect then fled on foot. Officers located him a short distance away.
Police say he refused to comply with officers’ commands and was forcibly arrested after a short struggle.
The victim sustained cuts and bruises to his face and was treated at the scene by paramedics.
Investigators are calling the incident a random, unprovoked attack.
Police say Nijjar was released from custody Wednesday evening under conditions to abstain from communication with the victim and refrain from being in a defined area around the scene of the incident.
However, police received information around 6 p.m. Thursday that the suspect had returned to the area and was in breach of his release conditions.
Officers located Nijjar on Spring Garden Road and arrested him without incident.
“He agreed to these conditions when he was released and, unfortunately, he was found within these boundaries 22 hours after he was released,” says Bourdages.
Nijjar was held in custody overnight and made a brief appearance in Halifax provincial court Friday morning.
The Crown opposed his release. He has been remanded in custody until July 9, when he is due back in court for a bail hearing.
Many risks associated with homelessness
Those who live on the streets or work with those who do say there are many risks associated with homelessness.
Joe Arsenault says he knows homeless people are sometimes attacked, but he can’t understand why.
“Why would anyone do that to an old man? I mean, the guy wasn’t doing anything wrong, just sitting there,” says Arsenault, who lives on the streets of Halifax.
“I mean, us homeless people, we’re a certain breed of people. All we’re out here trying to do is survive.”
Shannon Aulenback works at the Out of the Cold Shelter – an emergency winter shelter in Halifax. He says people living on the streets have to deal with incidents like this on a regular basis.
“This sort of thing exists and it shouldn’t,” says Aulenback. “It exists even more so for people who are just living their life in public and going through homelessness.”
With files from CTV Atlantic's Jacqueline Foster