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CTV News
a day ago
- CTV News
Suspect in Cirque du Soleil crash was having ‘religious delusions,' Vancouver police say
The suspect who allegedly crashed a car into an East Vancouver venue during a Cirque du Soleil performance Thursday evening was apparently experiencing 'religious delusions,' according to police. The vehicle slammed into the entrance of Pacific Coliseum around 8 p.m., approximately one hour after the crowded show began. The Vancouver Police Department said the suspected driver, a 30-year-old local man, was arrested at the scene and has since been certified under B.C.'s Mental Health Act, which allows for involuntary treatment. 'We trust that he's getting the care that he needs,' Sgt. Steve Addison told reporters Friday at a news conference. The suspect's name has not been publicized as he has not been criminally charged. Suspect was 'talking about Satan' Addison said the individual does not have a criminal record or any history of police interactions related to his mental health, but it was 'apparent' he was in crisis when officers arrived at the scene Thursday. 'He was speaking and acting erratically,' Addison said. 'Talking about Satan, talking about God, saying other things that made it very obvious he was experiencing a mental health crisis.' Authorities have not confirmed how fast the car was travelling when it crashed into Pacific Coliseum, but said it was moving at a significant speed. No one was injured – but Addison said the outcome could have been much worse if the vehicle had not struck a concrete column that prevented it from fully entering the venue. Witness Mike Roberts told CTV News he was at the Cirque du Soleil performance when he heard a loud bang, which he initially assumed was part of the act. He said he got up to investigate after seeing 'a small piece of the vehicle' had landed near his seat. 'Went behind the curtains and from there saw the car that was sitting inside, or partially inside the Coliseum doors,' he said. Pacific Coliseum crash Emergency crews respond after a car crashed into the entrance of Pacific Coliseum in East Vancouver on June 5, 2025. Incident reignites safety concerns Thursday's incident came 41 days after the Lapu-Lapu Day vehicle attack that left 11 people dead and dozens of others injured – and while the circumstances are different, Addison said 'some of the similarities' have understandably reignited safety concerns in the city. Those are even more pressing ahead of a weekend marked by a number of large-scale events in Vancouver, including the B.C. Lions home opener and Italian Day on the Drive. Police confirmed there will be mobile road barriers set up at both events, and that 300 extra officers will be deployed between Friday and Sunday to ensure public safety. 'We will have a high-visibility presence throughout the city in a variety of events,' Addison said. 'We're doing this to provide comfort and assurance to people, to deter crime, and to respond if something happens.' Heading into summer, with more massive events such as Pride and the Celebration of Light, the Vancouver Police Department will continue working with the organizers and city staff to 'do everything that we can' to keep the public safe, Addison said. 'We can't cage this city up, we can't bubble-wrap people,' he said. 'It's not reasonable or practical to put a police officer on every corner, and people don't want to see that. We can only worry about the things that we can control as a police agency.'
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Yahoo
Man arrested after vehicle driven into Vancouver Cirque du Soleil arena, no one hurt
VANCOUVER — Vancouver police say a man has been arrested after a vehicle was driven into the Pacific Coliseum arena while a Cirque du Soleil show was taking place. They said no one was injured and the crash does not appear to be an act of terrorism, or related to the Lapu Lapu Day attack that took place in April. Police said on social media that the incident happened just after 8 p.m. Thursday. They said the 30-year-old man from Vancouver was apprehended under the Mental Health Act. Photographs shared on social media show a dark-coloured sedan with its front end crumpled at what appears to be the entrance of the arena in East Vancouver. The crash comes 40 days after a ramming attack on the Lapu Lapu Day festival in Vancouver that killed 11 people and injured dozens. Sgt. Steve Addison told Global News outside the arena that Thursday's incident did not appear to be related to the Lapu Lapu attack. He said it was "a miracle" that nobody was killed or seriously hurt, given that so many people were inside and around the arena at the time. "We do believe that this person was in the midst of some sort of mental health break or episode when this happened," Addison said. He said that the investigation was only hours old, "but what I can tell you is that we don't believe this is a copycat episode." He acknowledged that the incident was alarming, occurring in the wake of the April attack. "It's definitely going to bring back those emotions and that level of anxiety that our entire community has been experiencing for over a month now," he said. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 5, 2025. The Canadian Press
