Victim's attempts to de-escalate fail to stop North Bay assault

North Bay Police Service cruiser. (CTV Northern Ontario file)

A 23-year-old suspect is charged with assault following an incident late Sunday evening in North Bay.

The North Bay Police Service said in a news release they were called at 10:30 p.m. to respond after two people were assaulted on Memorial Drive.

"While the victims were walking through the area, the accused was speaking loudly. One of the victims asked if the accused was speaking to him, at which point the accused became aggressive," police said.

"The victims attempted to de-escalate the situation by offering the accused a cigarette, at which point the accused took the cigarette pack from one of the victims and threw it at the victim."

When the victims decided it was best to leave the area, the suspect began making threats, police said, and followed them.

"The accused then assaulted one of the victims using his fists and made additional threats against the victims," the release said.

"The other victim flagged down a nearby vehicle and contacted police."

Police arrived and quickly made an arrest. The suspect is now charged with one count of assault, one count of assault with a weapon and two counts of uttering threats.

The victims and accused are not known to one another. The accused was held pending a bail hearing at the North Bay Courthouse.