Halloween weekend saw two separate stabbings and one bludgeoning in Vancouver – that's aside from swarms of partiers on Granville strip that challenged public health protocols amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Saturday at 7 p.m. until Sunday at 5 a.m. was absolute “mayhem” for or Vancouver police, a total of 800 calls for service had dispatchers registering a new call nearly every minute.
A call to police nearly every minute
The average timespan between calls nearly doubled, said Cst. Tania Visintin, spokesperson for the Vancouver Police Department (VPD).
“VPD responded to several, serious criminal incidents during this time. Four victims have been taken to hospital with various injuries,” Visintin added.
Shortly after midnight, a purple Porsche Panamera caught on fire near Turner and Lillooet streets in what fire crews later deemed an arson.
That wasn’t all – minutes later, groups went at it on Empire Field in Hastings Park, with one male stabbed and taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.
Two attacked in the Downtown Eastside
By 5:15 a.m. a woman in her 50s was bludgeoned with a blunt object near East Hastings and Columbia streets on the Downtown Eastside.
This victim was also taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries, said Visintin.
“Three minutes later, officers were called to East Hastings and Carrall streets where a man in his late 30s was suffering from stab wounds. He was rushed to hospital in critical condition.”
All acts of assault are currently under investigation by police, said Visintin.
Granville Street right now pt. 2 from r/vancouver
Unruly partiers compromise police safety
As for the unruly crowds downtown, “social distancing tickets were not issued to party-goers on the Granville strip as it would not have been a safe or an efficient use of the available police resources at the time."
“Police must consider officers and public safety when deciding on possible enforcement options,” Visintin stressed.
This said in light of all the other serious crimes that occurred the night of Halloween.
Group of us were just swarmed by an angry crowd on the Granville Mall after a street party erupted.
— Cst Lee Marten (@Canuckula) November 1, 2020
Had to call for code 3 cover.
No better sound than sirens surrounding you from all sides coming to help. #NotYourAverageHalloween #VPD
“As officers were responding to the swarming, one man jumped on the hood of a police vehicle in an attempt to provoke the crowd,” police explained.
“Another police vehicle had its right rear passenger side window smashed. No one has been arrested in this incident.”
Our #VPD members did an outstanding job managing an extremely busy #Halloween- we received over 800 calls for service, responded to multiple stabbings & an officer broke his hand - not possible to be the #MaskPolice also #RealityCheck @VancouverPD #ProudChief https://t.co/BsN2TG5PKM
— Adam Palmer (@ChiefPalmer) November 1, 2020
