REAL SCOOP: Gang rivals involved in Yaletown brawl – UPDATED
Credit to Author: Kim Bolan| Date: Tue, 10 Dec 2019 00:31:51 +0000
Gangsters from the Brothers Keepers and United Nations gangs clashed inside a Yaletown restaurant before their fight spilled out onto the street, Vancouver Police said Monday.
Sgt. Aaron Roed confirmed what Postmedia earlier reported about the fight involving rival gangs.
And he said the VPD likely saved lives by responding “with Tactical Emergency Medical Services, TEMS, being delivered by VPD officers.”
“Without the quick action and officers being trained in TEMS this assault may have ended up being a homicide,” he said. “There is no question that trained TEMS officers played a role in saving multiple lives.”
Just before 2:30 a.m., police responded to a call of a large group of men fighting in the area of Hamilton and Helmcken streets, Roed said.
“The group of close to 20 men fighting were associated to two separate gangs from Metro Vancouver. The gangsters had an altercation inside a Yaletown establishment which spilled onto the street.”
Seven people were arrested but were later released with no charges yet.
“This investigation is ongoing and charges are anticipated,” Roed said.
Detectives from the VPD Major Crime Section are requesting anyone who has cellphone video or is a witness to the violent assault to contact investigators at 604-717-2541, he said.
The Brothers Keepers and the UN gang have been locked in a bloody war across the Lower Mainland for more than two years.
Sumdish Gill, who pleaded guilty to assault June 20, is second from the right, peaking over his friend’s shoulder in undated Brothers Keepers photo
One of the BK stabbing victims was on probation after pleading guilty to assault last June for his role in a December 2017 attack in the 800-block of Homer Street.
Last June, Sumdish Gill admitted he was involved in the attack on Jitesh Vagh, though not the person who stabbed Vagh 18 times.
“Mr. Gill participated in the group attack by chasing Mr. Vagh and punching and kicking him to the ground,” Crown Adrienne Smith said in Vancouver Provincial Court at the time.
Another man photographed at the scene on a stretcher is Albert Dario, a UN associate.
kbolan@postmedia.com
twitter.com/kbolan