A 21-year-old man with a prior criminal history was arrested after an unprovoked attack on an employee of a downtown Penticton business.

On Sunday, Jan. 7, at 5:30 p.m., officers in Penticton responded to a call from Freeride Boardshop in the 150 block of Main Street.

Employees from the store reported an unknown man entered and assaulted an employee with a piece of glass. The suspect then left the store but picked up the store鈥檚 sign and continued to threaten employees before fleeing down Front Street.

Shortly thereafter, officers located and arrested the 21-year-old. He has since been released.

A charge of assault with a weapon, and failing to comply with an undertaking have been forwarded to the BC Prosecution Service.

Freeride is located next door to Ogo鈥檚 Ice Cream Shop where the 70-year-old owner was attacked by a hammer in a robbery in August 2021.

In that case, there was video surveillance in the back alley and a criminal charge against one of the two assailants sent to Crown counsel, confirmed police.

But Crown prosecution has yet to proceed with those charges.

On Tuesday, around lunch-time, a 40-year-old man threw rocks through the windows and glass front doors of the Canadian Revenue Agency in downtown Penticton. He was also arrested nearby and released to appear in court in March.