Vancouver/Chilliwack – Vancouver Police have identified a Chilliwack man recorded making offensive and homophobic comments in a video that went viral on social media earlier this week.
VPD launched an investigation on Tuesday, after a 27-year-old man posted a TikTok video recorded outside the Burrard Station. In the video, a man is heard making homophobic comments and other insults.
The 34-year-old suspect (a Chilliwack resident whose name has not been released), turned himself in to VPD Hate Crimes investigators Thursday morning and was arrested for his role in the alleged crime, and for an unrelated firearms offence.
“We do believe he became aware of the fact that he had been recorded and that this was in the news because this video garnered so much attention and so much outrage and he decided to come forward and enabled us to begin wrapping this investigation up in a fairly quick period of time,” Sgt. Steve Addison said.
He has since been released pending his next court appearance on March 29.
Because charges have not yet been formally laid, the man cannot be identified.
Vancouver Pride has gone on record stating that this is a reminder that hate is still a major concern. Ironically, this comes a few weeks before the Vancouver Winter Pride Festival which starts February 18.
Chilliwack Pride Chair Teri Westerby told FVN that they don’t recognize the man in the video, but echoing Vancouver Pride, the hate is still there.
