A businessman in Terrace is recovering from major injuries after a violent hotel assault on May 6, 2025. The attack has raised questions about how such incidents are classified and whether authorities are taking workplace violence seriously.
The victim, identified as Noman Khan, manages two hotels and two restaurants in the city. He is now facing reconstructive surgery following severe injuries, including a broken nose and multiple facial fractures. Khan said he was attacked in the lobby of the Days Inn while trying to de-escalate a conflict involving a guest.
According to Khan, the customer was using aggressive language toward staff when he stepped in to calm the situation. Instead of diffusing tensions, the man reportedly became more hostile, began filming, and disrupted guests in the hotel lobby. Khan said the next moment left him on the floor, bleeding and unable to defend himself.
The businessman explained that the assault was unprovoked and carried out from behind, leaving him with no chance to defend himself. Speaking has been painful, and he described the aftermath as both physically devastating and emotionally damaging for himself, his family, and his employees. Witnesses in the hotel lobby immediately called emergency services when they saw him lying in a pool of blood. He also claimed that the man who struck him phoned 9-1-1 afterward, attempting to present himself as the victim.
Police confirmed that both men involved told officers they had been assaulted. RCMP officers arrested one individual, identified as a hotel patron, for assault. That person was later released under conditions and is expected to appear in court. Police said their investigation suggested the incident began with an interaction between the two men, ending when the hotel guest punched Khan. The case has now been forwarded to Crown counsel for charge consideration.
Khan is urging authorities to treat the incident with greater seriousness. He believes the charge should not remain as a simple assault, given the long-term impact on his health and the setting in which it occurred. He said this was not a barroom scuffle but a calculated act of violence in a professional and public space. He has called for the case to be reviewed as aggravated assault.
Khan also expressed frustration that the man arrested was released while he was still being transported to hospital by ambulance. He argued that such a quick release undermines accountability and risks sending the wrong message about violence against workers and community members. He warned that failure to act with the seriousness this case demands risks showing that violence against workers, families, and the wider community will go unpunished.
The RCMP have declined to provide further details while the matter is under review. For Khan, the road ahead involves extensive surgery and months of recovery. Speaking is painful, and his day-to-day management duties at the hotels and restaurants have been severely disrupted. Beyond his own injuries, he worries about the impact on his staff and the broader business community. He said such violence in professional settings should be taken more seriously to protect both workers and guests.
The incident has fueled debate locally about workplace safety, employee protection, and how violent confrontations should be classified. With Khan continuing to press for aggravated assault charges, the case may test how the justice system responds to attacks in professional environments. As he awaits surgery and a lengthy healing process, the legal proceedings are only just beginning. Whether prosecutors agree to upgrade the charge could influence not only his personal case but also the message sent to businesses and workers across the community.
