Police seek 200 more charges in Stanley Cup riot - Action News
Home WebMail Thursday, November 14, 2024, 11:26 AM | Calgary | 6.4°C | Regions Advertise Login | Our platform is in maintenance mode. Some URLs may not be available. |
British Columbia

Police seek 200 more charges in Stanley Cup riot

Vancouver police have recommended hundreds of more charges in connection with the Vancouver Stanley Cup riot, and have arrested the man they describe as their No.1 suspect.

Vancouver force also announces arrest of man described as No. 1 suspect

Vancouver police have recommended 200 new charges to Crown prosecutors in connection to the June 15, 2011, Stanley Cup riot. (Geoff Howe/Canadian Press)

Vancouver police have recommended 200 new charges against 50 people alleged to have been involved in Vancouvers Stanley Cup riot in June 2011and among them was a man described as the police department'sNo. 1 suspect.

Theman was allegedly involved in the assault of Robert MacKay, a Good Samaritan who was swarmed and beaten by 15 people while he was trying to protect The Bay department store from potential window-smashers and looters.

Jonathan Mahoney was dubbed by Vancouver police as IRIT-00001. (Vancouver police)

Fourteen people have already been charged in connection with the assault on MacKay, and the 15th suspect, Jonathan Stephen Mahoney, was arrested Tuesday in Lanigan, Sask.,Insp. Laurence Rankin announcedat a news conference Wednesday.

Mahoney, 24, of Conception Bay, N.L., was to be flown to Vancouver later Wednesday. Rankin said police are recommending charges of participating in a riot, assault, assault with a weapon and two counts of mischief against him.

Robert McKay covers his head as he is swarmed during the Stanley Cup riot. (CBC)

The total number of charges recommend by police now standsat 872, against 275 individuals.

The Crown has so far approved charges against more than 140 people. Several dozen have pleaded guilty, but only a handful have been sentenced.

The riot caused nearly $4 million in damage over several blocks of downtown Vancouver. Rioters smashed windows, set cars on fire and looted stores for hours until police in riot gear and on horseback were able to bring the crowd under control.