Vancouver police have issued a public warning about the release of David Morin, the man who stabbed a Mexican tourist in a downtown coffee shop in January 2022. Morin, who will be living in a halfway house in Vancouver, has been released from prison and will be back in the city, according to the Vancouver Police Department (VPD).
Morin was sentenced to three years in prison in June 2022. However, he has been granted statutory release by the Correctional Service of Canada, the VPD announced on Friday.
“Police believe Morin poses a high risk of significant harm to the community,” the VPD said in a news release. “Compelling circumstances exist to warn the public that he will be living in Vancouver.”
Morin, who was 27 at the time of the crime, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault a few days after attacking the tourist inside the Tim Hortons in Harbour Centre. The attack, which was recorded on the restaurant’s surveillance cameras, happened without any warning. Morin and his victim did not know each other and had minimal interaction before the stabbing.
The victim was rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries but survived. He later shared with CTV News that the assault left him feeling anxious and insecure whenever he went outside. “He feels somebody’s going to attack him in the back. He feels insecure anywhere he goes,” said his translator.
Now 30, Morin is subject to several conditions. He can be rearrested if he breaches any of them. He is prohibited from consuming, purchasing, or possessing alcohol or drugs other than prescribed medication and over-the-counter drugs. He must not have any direct or indirect contact with the victim and must avoid associating with anyone involved in criminal activity. Morin is also banned from possessing knives and must immediately report all intimate sexual and non-sexual relationships with women to his parole supervisor.
The police described Morin as 6’3″ tall with a medium build, short black hair, and brown eyes. They provided a photo of him with their news release and urged anyone who sees him breaching any of his conditions, or knows of any breaches, to contact them immediately.