Premier David Eby ‘white-hot angry’ after Chinatown stabbings

B.C. Premier David Eby isn’t mincing words, saying he is “white-hot angry” after it was reported the suspect in a triple stabbing in at the Light Up Chinatown festival was out on a day pass from a forensic psychiatric hospital.

Three people were hurt in the incident Sunday. A motive remains unclear.

Eby, who was briefly at the festival over the weekend, called the violence that played out “horrific.”

“It was a celebration. The sun was out. There were lion dancers. It was wonderful,” he said of the festival.

“And I talked to Carol Lee last night, the chair of the Chinatown Foundation. She said at five minutes to the end of this important community celebration had come back to Chinatown, this horrific event of three people being attacked and taking away from the community this really important moment. I am so angry,” he said.

The man arrested in connection with the stabbings is 64-year-old Blair Evan Donnelly, who police say has since been charged with three counts of aggravated assault.

Donnelly has not been tried in a court of law.

Related articles: 

• Chinatown stabbing suspect was on day pass from forensic psychiatric centre: VPD

• Stabbing at Vancouver Chinatown festival leaves 3 with non-life-threatening injuries

In 2008, a man by the same name was found not criminally responsible in the 2006 killing of his daughter due to a mental disorder. He was allowed unsupervised community visits from a Port Coquitlam institution in 2009, during which he reportedly stabbed a friend. In that case, he was found criminally responsible.

Eby says he will ensure “an independent person looks into the specifics of this case,” saying he “cannot fathom” how someone with such a criminal background would be released on an unsupervised day pass.

In a statement to CityNews, Blaine Bray, executive director of forensic psychiatric services for the Provincial Health Services Authority, says he can’t comment on the ongoing police investigation, or a specific patient’s circumstances, but provided an explanation on how day passes from psychiatric centres work.

“On a general basis for any eligible individual, prior to granting leave or time in the community, the treatment team considers a variety of factors – including the patient’s progress, and mental status – and a review process is followed, which requires the approval of the BC Review Board and Program and Privileges committee,” Bray stated. “Public safety is always at the forefront of the hospital’s decision making.”

He added, “We would like to express our thoughts to those injured in the incident in Vancouver’s Chinatown neighbourhood on September 10.”

CityNews has reached out to the Review Board for comment.

With files from Monika Gul