The Vancouver police will launch a campaign next week intended to ensure participants in the Stanley Cup riot will be brought to justice through enlisting the help of volunteers.
Police plan on using volunteers outraged by the violence that took place in Vancouver following the hockey game between the Vancouver Canucks and the Boston Bruins on June 15 in order to keep people aware of the ongoing riot investigation.
To date, Vancouver police have recommended 163 charges against 60 suspects.
The first sentence handed down in connection to the Stanley Cup riot resulted in the absolute discharge of a 19-year-old Surrey man in provincial court on Nov. 2. Karanvir Singh Saran had allegedly bragged about stealing a bag full of women's bathing suits from a swimwear store during the chaos last June, but the Crown decided there was not enough evidence to prove his guilt. His case was handled outside of Vancouver police's Integrated Riot Investigation Team.
"This reaffirms what we have said from the start: it's crucial that we take our time to gather and process evidence to help support the greatest number of convictions with the most severe penalties," Vancouver Police Chief Jim Chu said in a press release. "I'm confident that the courts will also recognize that the victims who suffered losses and injuries on June 15 deserve this."
