Nanaimo RCMP asks for witnesses after man found severely injured in alley

Nanaimo RCMP are appealing for information after a 62-year-old man was discovered unconscious in an alley on the city’s south side. First responders were called shortly after 9 p.m. on December 1 to the area between Sheperd Avenue and Georgia Avenue, near Fifth Street.

Police say the man had suffered life-threatening injuries and was airlifted to hospital for emergency treatment. Investigators believe the assault may have taken place some time before the victim was located.

Front line officers were joined at the scene by Police Dog Services, forensic specialists, Nanaimo Fire Rescue and paramedics from BC Emergency Health Services. RCMP are urging anyone who was in the area Monday evening, or who may have surveillance footage, to contact investigators.

This type of appeal is common in serious violent-crime cases on Vancouver Island, where police often rely on community tips and camera footage to reconstruct events and identify suspects.