Bible group called 911 about man later arrested in ramming of Vancouver arena, police say
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Vancouver police say the suspect in a vehicle ramming at the Pacific Coliseum Thursday night had been the subject of a 911 call earlier that day from a Bible study group.
Sgt. Steve Addison says the man was reportedly acting erratically at the church, but he left before officers encountered him.
Addison says the 30-year-old Vancouver man had no prior interactions with local authorities on either criminal or mental health grounds.
The man was detained after a BMW sedan crashed into the Pacific Coliseum in East Vancouver during a Cirque du Soleil show at around 8 p.m. Thursday.
No one was injured in the incident, with Addison calling it a "miracle" given the number of people inside and outside the arena at the time.
WATCH | Man arrested after ramming car into Vancouver arena:
Vancouver man arrested after vehicle driven into Pacific Coliseum
3 hours ago
Duration 1:05
Vancouver police have arrested a 30-year-old man after a vehicle was driven into the entrance of the Pacific Coliseum Thursday night. Police say a Cirque de Soleil show was taking place inside and it was a "miracle" no one was hurt.
Addison says the man is being held under the Mental Health Act, and it's believed he was suffering a "significant" crisis when the ramming happened.
Police are not identifying him because he has not been criminally charged.
Police presence at weekend events
The incident came 40 days after an SUV plowed through a crowd at the Lapu-Lapu Day festival, also in East Vancouver, and killed 11 while injuring scores of others.
Addison said there was no evidence the latest ramming was linked to terrorism or copied the Lapu Lapu festival attack, but police understand that the public may be fearful given similarities between the two incidents.
He said that is why police are ensuring safety at events this weekend — including the B.C. Lions' season opener on Saturday and the Italian Day festival on Commercial Drive — by deploying more than 300 additional officers, as well as vehicle barriers.
The barriers were seen being installed on Commercial Drive on Friday ahead of the Italian cultural festival.
"We fully understand that as soon as this vehicle struck the Coliseum last night, the first thing that was going to be in people's minds was a flashback to what happened 40 days earlier at the Filipino Lapu Lapu festival," Addison said. "That's the natural reaction.
"If I have a message for people, it's please know that we're doing everything that we can, in our power, working with our partners to mitigate risks, to make this summer as safe as possible."
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