VANCOUVER -- Days after a Halloween night marked by violence and the flouting of COVID-19 safety precautions, Vancouver police are sharing new details about the extent of the chaos.
Police said they responded to more than 800 calls for service over 24 hours, with officers attending everything from stabbings to a suspected arson during what they summed up as a night of "Halloween mayhem."
Speaking to reporters on Monday, Const. Tania Visintin said new calls came in "every one minute and 11 seconds" from 7 p.m. Saturday until 5 a.m. Sunday.
One of the stabbing victims, a man in his late-30s who was found near East Hastings and Carrall streets, was rushed to hospital in critical condition.
Two other victims were hospitalized with less serious injuries, including a man who was apparently stabbed after a fight broke out between two groups of people at Empire Field.
Police said a woman in her 50s was also taken to hospital after being hit in the head with a blunt object near Hastings and Columbia streets.
The suspected arson happened around midnight, when an unoccupied Porsche Panamera was torched near Turner and Lillooet streets. Authorities said no one was hurt.
Then there was the partying on the city's Granville Strip, with crowds that Visintin described as "exceptionally larger than what would be expected during a pandemic."
"It was very disappointing to see the number of people congregating along Granville Street on Halloween despite the recommendations of our provincial health officer," Visintin said.
Authorities noted that officers decided against issuing social distancing tickets, which they blamed on the size of the crowds and the "hostile demeanour" of some of the people present.
"It would not have been a safe or efficient use of police resources at the time," Visintin said.
"Officers must consider officer and public safety when deciding on possible enforcement options."
Police said they were also swarmed after stopping a white Range Rover that was being driven down Granville with passengers hanging out of the windows.
One person allegedly jumped onto the hood of a police vehicle to "attempt to provoke the crowd," according to authorities. He was arrested for breach of the peace.
Someone also smashed the rear passenger window of a different police vehicle, but no one has been arrested in connection with the apparent vandalism.
Visintin said the incidents – including several stabbings, the assault, and suspected arson – all remain under investigation.
