Coffee shop stabbing suspect appears in court

The man accused in connection with an unprovoked stabbing in a downtown Vancouver coffee shop appeared in provincial court on Friday morning as health officials launched an investigation into why he was released twice from hospital just before the attack.

Mohamed Amer, 30, has been charged with attempted murder following the assault on Wednesday that put a 71-year-old man in hospital in serious condition.

During his court appearance, Amer repeatedly interrupted his lawyer by shouting. 

He also put his hands in the shape of a gun and pretended to fire at a court worker and at a woman in the gallery. He then blew on his index finger before tossing his head back and laughing loudly.

"From any lay person's point of view, he appears to be seriously mentally ill," said his lawyer Phil Rankin.

Amer is now undergoing a psychiatric evaluation and is scheduled to appear in court next month.

Witnesses say a man stabbed the elderly victim as they sat next to each other in the coffee shop on West Hastings Street. The assailant then stood up and drove the knife deeper into the man's chest.

He then sat down and waited for police to arrive, witnesses told police. Police say the two were strangers. The victim is still in hospital, according to reports.

Hospital launches investigation

On Tuesday, police say Amer was taken to St. Paul's Hospital twice by officers under the Mental Health Act, but was released by the hospital both times.

Dianne Doyle, the president of Providence Health Care, which operates St. Paul's, says an independent review panel will investigate Amer's care at the hospital.

"There was room to admit him, and there would be a way for the system to respond to ensure there was an admission should an individual patient require that," said Doyle.

The investigation panel will be composed of emergency department and mental health clinicians.