Update: September 19, 2023
Vancouver – Vancouver Police have released photos of the 10 most wanted suspects from this summer’s Breakout Festival Riot at the PNE Amphitheatre.
“We promised to do everything we could to identify the people responsible for destroying property and putting other concert-goers in danger, and for the past six weeks we’ve poured through video and tips to identify our 10 most wanted,” says Inspector Dale Weidman, officer in charge of VPD’s Major Crime Section.
“Now, we’re asking for your help to identify these suspects so we can continue to hold them accountable.”
Vandals caused more than $300,000 damage to the PNE on September 18, after the last-minute cancellation of a headline act at the Breakout Festival. Dozens of concert-goers destroyed food kiosks, overturned tables, climbed light fixtures, and sparked fights throughout the PNE grounds and surrounding neighbourhoods.
Vancouver Police investigators have spent the past six weeks mining video from social media, and analyzing tips and evidence submitted by the public. Pictures of the VPD’s 10 most wanted Breakout Riot suspects are among more than two dozen images now posted at VPD.ca/top-10.
“These pictures represent our top 10 suspects – those who engaged in some of the most dangerous and destructive behavior,” says Inspector Weidman, who adds that photos of additional suspects will be released as the investigation continues.
“Every single one of these photos could represent a classmate, a friend, neighbour, or a family member. If you recognize one of these people, we ask you to visit VPD.ca/top-10 and use our online form to submit a tip. If you’re one of the people in these photos, or you’re worried that embarrassing pictures of you could be released in the future, it’s not too late to come forward.”
