Man charged after random assaults, arson in North Vancouver

A Harbour Air seaplane takes off from the harbour in Vancouver, B.C., as buildings in North Vancouver are seen in the distance on Wednesday April 2, 2014. (Darryl Dyck / THE CANADIAN PRESS)

A 42-year-old man is in police custody facing multiple charges, including assault causing bodily harm and arson, following a series of violent incidents in North Vancouver, according to police.

Jeremy Lariviere of Vancouver has been charged with two counts of assault, one count of assault causing bodily harm, one count of arson and four counts of mischief following his arrest on Dec. 29, 2024.

A statement from the North Vancouver RCMP says officers responded to a random assault in the 100 block of Bewicke Avenue around 3:15 p.m. on Christmas Day.

Investigators say a 38-year-old woman was reportedly assaulted after confronting a man who was allegedly damaging a parked vehicle.

The suspect fled the scene before police arrived, while the woman was taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, the statement said.

A half-hour later, North Vancouver police were called to the Shipyards area on Lonsdale Avenue, where a suspect reportedly assaulted two people at a Christmas market.

“It is alleged that the same suspect punched a woman from behind and assaulted her son, then left prior to police arrival,” the RCMP statement said. “The woman suffered injuries and was treated by paramedics on scene.”

Four days later, on Dec. 29, police were called to reports of an arson at a nearby apartment in the 100 block of East Keith Road. Investigators say the same suspect is believed to have started the fire around 6 a.m.

“The fire was extinguished by fire crews before it caused major damage, but several people were displaced as a result,” the statement said.

Lariviere was arrested later that day in the 1900 block of Lonsdale Avenue. “At the time of the arrest, the suspect was also allegedly breaching conditions of a release order stemming from an incident for which he was arrested in November 2023,” police said.

Investigators are still looking for witnesses and video evidence from the alleged assaults at the Shipyards Christmas Market.

Anyone with information related to the incidents is asked to contact the North Vancouver RCMP at 604-985-1311. Anonymous tips can also be provided to Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

Lariviere’s next court appearance is scheduled for Thursday in North Vancouver provincial court.