The Vancouver Police Department is describing the Family Day long weekend as "volatile" and "violent" in a recent media release detailing several incidents that lead to the seizure of multiple weapons including loaded guns and bear spray.
The most recent incident occurred on East Hastings Street Tuesday (Feb. 21). Police stopped a man who was allegedly riding his bike recklessly through traffic and on the sidewalk. He reportedly had bail conditions not to be in the area, and when officers arrested him they found a gun, machete, bear spray, baton, and ammunition.
Other incidents that occurred this weekend according to police
Just before 10 a.m. on Saturday police chased a man for allegedly committing an unspecified bylaw offence. Upon arrest, police recovered a loaded Glock handgun and illicit drugs. Garret Thomas, 25, has been charged with possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm, noted the VPD.
Around 2:30 a.m. on Sunday, officers patrolling West Hastings Street stopped three men in balaclavas jay-walking near Abbott Street and while in the process of writing them a ticket, discovered one was allegedly in possession of a loaded handgun while the two others had knives and bear spray.
One of the men, 22-year-old Kaugen Bull, has been charged with possession of a prohibited or restricted firearm and possession of a firearm with an altered serial number.
Also on Sunday morning, a woman in her 30s was bear sprayed outside the Carnegie Centre at Main and East Hastings. She was not seriously hurt but VPD say they found the suspect in a tent near the Patricia Hotel where they arrested two men and recovered a sawed-off shotgun. A 20-year-old Winnipeg man and a 40-year-old Alberta man are due back in court in April to face charges related to the incident.
A 31-year-old man was also shot on Main and Hastings on Sunday afternoon. Jamie George Guimond, 32, is facing two charges, attempted murder and discharging a firearm according to the VPD.
Anyone with information about the above cases is asked to call police or Crime Stoppers 1-800-222-8477.
