Bible group called 911 about man later arrested in ramming of Vancouver arena, police say

Chuck Chiang · The Canadian Press

· Posted: Jun 06, 2025 4:55 PM EDT | Last Updated: June 6

Vancouver constabulary accidental a antheral detained successful a conveyance ramming astatine the city's Pacific Coliseum connected Thursday nighttime had "religious delusions" and had been the taxable of a 911 telephone earlier that time from a Bible survey group.

Sgt. Steve Addison said Friday the antheral was reportedly acting erratically astatine the religion group, but helium near earlier officers encountered him.

The antheral was aboriginal detained aft a BMW sedan crashed into the Pacific Coliseum successful East Vancouver during a Cirque du Soleil amusement astatine astir 8 p.m. PT Thursday.

Addison said the fishy was successful wide intelligence wellness distress.

"He was speaking and acting erratically, specifically having spiritual delusions, talking astir Satan, talking astir God, saying different things that made it precise evident that helium was experiencing a intelligence wellness crisis," Addison said astatine a property league Friday. 

"And helium was intelligibly acting successful a mode that placed himself and members of the nationalist successful contiguous danger."

Addison said the 30-year-old Vancouver antheral had nary important interactions with section authorities connected either transgression oregon intelligence wellness grounds earlier the incident.

WATCH | Man arrested aft car rams into Vancouver arena:

No 1 was injured successful the clang astatine the arena, with Addison calling it a "miracle" fixed the fig of radical wrong and extracurricular astatine the time.

"The conveyance struck a vertical factual file connected the building, and that file is what prevented that conveyance from penetrating into the arena," Addison said. 

"Although we don't cognize the circumstantial velocity astatine this point, it was travelling accelerated capable that had it not collided with that barrier, it would person gone into the arena, and it could person caused radical superior harm."

Addison said the antheral was being held nether the Mental Health Act, and constabulary are not identifying him due to the fact that helium has not been criminally charged.

Police beingness astatine play events

The incidental came 40 days aft an SUV plowed done a assemblage astatine the Lapu-Lapu Day festival, besides successful East Vancouver, killing 11 portion injuring scores of others.

Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said successful a societal media station that helium was "incredibly grateful nary 1 was hurt." 

"The information of everyone attending events successful our metropolis is our apical priority, and we'll proceed moving to support Vancouver safe," Sim said.

Addison said determination was nary grounds the latest ramming was linked to coercion oregon copied the Lapu-Lapu festival attack, but constabulary understood the nationalist whitethorn beryllium fearful fixed similarities betwixt the 2 incidents.

He said that was wherefore constabulary were ensuring information astatine events this weekend, including the B.C. Lions' play opener connected Saturday and the Italian Day festival connected Commercial Drive, by deploying much than 300 further officers arsenic good arsenic conveyance barriers.

The barriers were seen being installed connected Commercial Drive connected Friday up of the Italian taste festival.

"We afloat recognize that arsenic soon arsenic this conveyance struck the Coliseum past night, the archetypal happening that was going to beryllium successful people's minds was a flashback to what happened 40 days earlier astatine the Filipino Lapu-Lapu festival," Addison said.

"That's the earthy reaction. If I person a connection for people, it's delight cognize that we're doing everything that we tin successful our power, moving with our partners, to mitigate risks, to marque this summertime arsenic harmless arsenic possible."

He said radical successful Vancouver should beryllium vigilant astatine events, and thing suspicious should beryllium reported immediately.

"We're going to person tons of constabulary officers out," Addison said. "They're going to beryllium highly visible. We're going to person roadworthy closures successful spot to forestall vehicles from being capable to travel into the enclosed street, due to the fact that Commercial Drive volition beryllium closed down.

"If you spot thing that seems retired of place, if you spot thing that makes you consciousness unsafe, if you spot thing suspicious, conscionable telephone us. We volition respond. We'd alternatively you bash that."