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Teen allegedly assaulted at same Kelowna bus stop as international student

One person was reportedly arrested in the incident
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Area where the teen was allegedly attacked. (Google)

A Kelowna father is outraged after his 15-year-old daughter was allegedly attacked at the same bus stop and an international student was reportedly beaten less than a week ago.

Noel Wentworth, who ran for city council last fall, said his daughter was with three friends at the Energy Plex Thursday evening and went to catch the bus at Highway 97 and McCurdy Road.

“My daughter was beaten up, unprovoked, by a girl she didn’t know while waiting for the bus,” said Wentworth.

The alleged suspect stole Wentworth’s daughter’s phone, then reportedly dumped it in a nearby garbage.

RCMP confirmed a group of girls assaulted the teen and one person was arrested and will be facing charges.

His daughter was taken to urgent care with swelling around her eye and a head wound. She also has a sore back from the incident as she was allegedly pulled around by her hair several times.

“I am more concerned for her mental health, she thought she was going to die,” said Wentworth.

This is the second incident of an attack in the area, after international student Gagandeep Singh, 21, was assaulted after exiting a city bus to return home from a grocery trip.

Singh was kicked and beaten before having his turban ripped from his head, according to a friend of Singh’s.

Kelowna RCMP have identified a suspect group in the assault of Singh, however, no arrests have been made at this time.

The BC Hate Crimes Team has also been engaged to ensure any hate elements are identified and investigated.

A GoFundMe was started for Singh and has since raised $10,000.

Const. Mike Della-Paolera said that the location of the two assaults is simply a coincidence and there is no indication that the reported suspects are connected.

As for Wentworth, he is hoping people are more vigilant when travelling in the Highway 97 and McCurdy area after these two unprovoked attacks.

Kelowna City Councillor Mohini Singh was saddened to hear about this second assault in the same area where an international student was attacked, saying these incidents do not represent the city.

She also said, “community safety is one of our core values, and this is something we’ve been working on. This will not be taken lightly.”

BC Transit or First Transit are not aware of any incidents that occured in that area on Thursday evening.

READ MORE: Kelowna council appalled by attack on international student

READ MORE: Community rallies behind international student assaulted in Kelowna


@Jen_zee
jen.zielinski@bpdigital.ca

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Jen Zielinski

About the Author: Jen Zielinski

Graduated from the broadcast journalism program at BCIT. Also holds a bachelor of arts degree in political science and sociology from Thompson Rivers University.
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