A Terrace businessman faces extensive surgery and a painful recovery following a May 6, 2025 assault.
Noman Khan, the manager of two hotels and two restaurants in the city, has a broken nose and multiple facial fractures requiring reconstructive surgery after he says he tried to de-escalate a situation involving a customer in the lobby of the Days Inn.
"The attack was entirely unprovoked and occurred from behind, leaving me no opportunity to defend myself," said Khan in an email, adding that speaking is painful.
And he also wants the RCMP to reconsider the findings of officers that what occurred was a simple assault.
Khan said he intervened after an individual used "aggressive and profane language toward my team," Khan said.
"Instead of calming down, he became more hostile, began filming us and disrupted guests."
Khan said the aftermath has caused severe emotional distress to himself, his family and his employees. Khan also manages the Best Western Terrace Inn, the White Spot and Pizza Pizza Terrace.
"Witnesses immediately called 9-1-1 upon seeing me lying in a pool of blood on the hotel lobby floor," said Khan.
Khan said the man also phoned 9-1-1 "in what appeared to be an attempt to manipulate the narrative and portray himself as the victim."
Terrace RCMP confirmed that the two men each reported they were assaulted by the other.
Officers arrested one individual for assault and will be forwarding their findings to the provincial Crown counsel "for consideration of charges that may be approved," police said in a statement.
"The investigation leads police to believe that one man, a patron of the hotel, punched the other, after an interaction between them. The patron was arrested for assault and later released with conditions and a court date," police said.
Now facing a lengthy recovery, Khan said he wants any charge consideration to go beyond assault.
"This was not a barroom scuffle," said Khan. "It was a cold, calculated act of violence in a professional and public space."
"At the very least this should be reclassified as aggravated assault, given the severity of the injuries, the context of the attack and its lasting impact."
Khan said he was particularly upset that the man arrested was released while he was still being transported by ambulance to the hospital emergency room.
"Failure to act with the seriousness this case demands risks sending a message that violence against workers, families and community members goes unpunished," he said.
RCMP have declined to release any further information.
