Noisemaker ban in the works after assault at B.C. junior hockey game leaves man seriously injured

Jon Azpiri · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 04, 2025 4:24 PM EDT | Last Updated: 3 minutes ago

Officials successful B.C.'s West Kootenay portion are looking to prohibition noisemakers aft an battle stemming from the usage of an aerial horn astatine a inferior hockey crippled past period near a Fruitvale, B.C., antheral with superior injuries.

RCMP accidental the battle occurred astatine Fruitvale's Beaver Valley Arena during a crippled betwixt the Beaver Valley Nitehawks and Grand Forks Border Bruins of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League, a Junior A Tier 2 league. 

The quality astatine the crippled connected March 19 began implicit the usage of an aerial horn, constabulary said. 

"The Fruitvale antheral was allegedly violently thrown to the crushed and sustained superior injuries arsenic a result," RCMP said successful a statement. 

"He was transported by B.C. Emergency Health Services to infirmary for contiguous aesculapian attention. He remains astatine the infirmary successful superior condition."

Ali Grieve, a manager with the Regional District of Kootenay Boundary and seat of Beaver Valley Recreation, said a idiosyncratic of involvement during the crippled fled the country pursuing the incident.

She said the unfortunate told her that the antheral was utilizing a makeshift aerial horn.  

"I recognize helium was asked respective times to halt utilizing this noisemaker, and helium did not," Grieve said.

She said the Beaver Valley recreation committee, which oversees the operations of Beaver Valley Arena, is moving guardant with a argumentation to prohibition noisemakers, specified arsenic aerial horn, bells, clackers, and drums. 

"We privation you to bring your voices. We privation you to travel and cheer. We privation you to bring your hands and travel and clap. But noisemakers volition nary longer beryllium welcomed successful our arena oregon successful our affiliate arena successful Grand Forks," she said. 

"This is astir ensuring the information for each fans and reducing struggle successful the stands." 

Victim's beingness 'changed forever'

Grieve says the victim, a longtime Nitehawks fan, suffered aggregate injuries, required country connected some legs, and whitethorn request further surgery.

"[He] was knocked unconscious erstwhile helium was allegedly pushed down the stairs," she said. "He had a seizure astatine the clip arsenic well."
 
She said the unfortunate is self-employed and has mislaid enactment arsenic helium recovers.

RCMP person released an representation of a antheral who whitethorn beryllium progressive successful the assault. They describe him as a 50-year-old Caucasian antheral from Grand Forks with a dense build, grey hairsbreadth and moustache, who was wearing a grey cap, achromatic overgarment and bluish jeans.

Police added that helium whitethorn person been accompanied by a Caucasian woman, astir 50 years old, with agelong brownish hairsbreadth and glasses, wearing a achromatic overgarment and bluish jeans.

Grieve hopes the idiosyncratic liable comes forward.

"It seems good known by our assemblage and by the Grand Forks hockey squad who this idiosyncratic of involvement is. So I'm going to instrumentality this infinitesimal close present to inquire some him and the Bruins hockey squad to promote this idiosyncratic to travel forward," she said. 

"In the meantime, the unfortunate and their household present person their lives changed forever."