Blair Evan Donnelly, the man accused of randomly stabbing three individuals in Vancouver’s Chinatown, has been identified and charged. Court records reveal a troubling past, as he had previously been confined to a psychiatric facility after being found not criminally responsible for the killing of his teenage daughter 15 years ago.
On Monday, Donnelly faced three counts of aggravated assault, as announced by the Vancouver Police Department. The arrest followed the random stabbing incident that took place during a festival in the historic neighborhood, which had attracted thousands of attendees.
In a news conference, VPD Chief Constable Adam Palmer revealed that the suspect was on a day pass from a forensic psychiatric institution when the stabbing occurred. Court documents provide further insight into Donnelly’s history, showing that he had been declared not criminally responsible for the second-degree murder of his 16-year-old daughter in 2008. The tragic incident had occurred in 2006 in Kitimat, and the presiding judge described the circumstances as “tragic and disturbing.”
For the past 15 years, Donnelly has been residing at the Forensic Psychiatric Hospital, also known as Colony Farm, in Coquitlam. In April 2023, the review board modified the conditions of his detention to permit him to leave the facility with prior permission. The decision considered Donnelly’s mental condition and the associated risks to himself and others, allowing for escorted and unescorted access to the community at the director’s discretion.