Vancouver – Vancouver Police are appealing for witnesses to a Halloween stabbing at East Vancouver’s Empire Field, which left a 31-year-old man fighting for life in hospital.
“This was a violent assault that resulted in serious and life-altering injuries,” says Sergeant Steve Addison, VPD. “Detectives have not yet been able to identify the people responsible, and are asking for the public’s help to solve the crime.”
Police believe the victim, a Vancouver resident, was with friends inside Leeside Skatepark – a large skateboard tunnel at the south end of Empire Field – on October 31. He was assaulted during a fight at around 10:30 p.m. between two big groups near the soccer field, just east of Playland. He was struck in the head by a white male in his 20s, who was wearing a Ghostbusters Halloween costume.
A second altercation between the groups occurred around 11:45 p.m. near the public washrooms at the soccer field. Police believe that’s when the victim was stabbed multiple times in the torso by a different white male in his 20s. The suspect was wearing black and carrying a distinctive red- and white-striped shoulder bag. The victim collapsed a short distance from the park. He was rushed to hospital, where he remained for several days.
“We know there were dozens of people in the park when these altercations occurred, and we believe someone out there has information that will lead to the arrest of the suspects,” says Sergeant Addison. “We know some witnesses used their phones to record the altercations and we’re asking for anyone with pictures or video to do the right thing and call investigators.”
Anyone with information is asked to call the Vancouver Police Major Crime Section at 604-717-2541 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.
