A 31-year-old man was arrested Friday night, Sept. 15, after getting into the Great Outdoors Comedy Festival with two edged weapons, according to police.
The incident happened around 9:30 p.m. around the time comedian Russell Peters was to be on stage at the new comedy event held for the first time in Stanley Park.
Security guards at the event saw the man breach the fence, according to the Vancouver Police Department (VPD), and move toward the stage.
"The security guards reacted quickly to stop the suspect, and nobody was hurt," states VPD Sgt. Steve Addison in an email to V.I.A. "We had officers working inside the venue who responded immediately and took custody of the suspect."
He describes the weapons as "edged" but doesn't go into greater detail. The motive for the incident is unknown and a VPD investigation is ongoing states Addison, though a man is charged in the incident.
"Jacques Louis-Martin Letendre is charged with utter threats, assault, and possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose," he writes.
Letendre has been released by the courts by a release order, adds Addison.
A spokesperson for the festival says no one was injured in the incident and the show went on uninterrupted.
"We appreciate the efforts of our festival staff, security and Vancouver Police in their assistance," states Chris Schoengut of Trixstar LIVE, which put the event on.
The night of the incident saw 7,500 people show up to the show. Schoengut says 10,000 people came out the following night for festival headliner Kevin Hart's show.
