The Vancouver Police Department appealed to the public Monday in an effort to find the person who seriously injured an officer by hitting him in the head with a five-pound brick during the Stanley Cup riot.
The VPD released a video at a press conference in which Const. Mike Laurin is seen being struck in the forehead with a brick outside a Sport Chek store in the 500-block of Howe Street.
Rioters were smashing the front windows of the store and stealing merchandise when Laurin, a six-foot-seven member of one of the VPDs emergency response teams, is seen approaching the crowd when a brick strikes him in the head.
The quality of the video makes it difficult to determine whether the brick was thrown from a person on the street or from a window of one of the buildings along Howe Street. The incident occurred in the dark of night, shortly after 11 p.m.
Incredibly, he was able to walk into the store and get medical aid from his partners, said Insp. Les Yeo at the Cambie Street police station, as the video played on a television for reporters.
Laurin suffered a concussion and required 14 stitches to the head. The 10-year-veteran was off work for three months. The VPD estimated the force of the blow would be similar to being hit in the head with a hockey puck traveling 75 miles per hour.
I know theres somebody out there that can tell us who did this, said Yeo, holding up a similar brick to the one that hit Laurin. They may have been standing next to the person who threw it. They may know the person that threw it, they may have heard somebody bragging about who threw it.
The video of the incident was the second time it was shown by the VPD. Police Chief Jim Chu played the video during a speech he gave to the Vancouver Board of Trade in January. Chu also showed photographs of a swollen-faced Laurin, taken the day after the incident.
As a member of an emergency response team, Laurins equipment includes a helmet. Yeo said Laurin had just arrived from home and didnt get a chance to put on his helmet before he was injured.
Of the 500 officers working the night of the riot, only 150 were wearing helmets. The Vancouver Police Foundation has since raised $300,000 to supply at least 300 grab-and-go kits for officers, which contain protective helmets, shin pads, elbow pads and gloves.
The VPD also announced Monday that it recommended an additional 70 charges against 25 suspected rioters. That brings the total to 350 recommended charges against 125 suspects.
So far, the Crown prosecution team dedicated to the riot investigation has approved 129 charges against 47 suspects. Yeo said Crown has only rejected one charge but the VPD is reviewing whether it will submit it again with more evidence.
Ryan Dickinson, 20, of Coquitlam is expected to appear in Vancouver Provincial Court Tuesday for sentencing after earlier pleading guilty to participating in the riot. He will be the first rioter sentenced in Vancouver.
A Surrey man earlier pleaded guilty to stealing swimwear from a damaged store during the riot, only to receive an absolute discharge. That case was handled by the Surrey RCMP. Crown has since made it clear to all police departments to contact the Integrated Riot Investigation Team, if they locate a suspect in the riot.
Twitter: @Howellings
