A man who skinny-dipped in the shark tank at Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada is wanted for assaulting a man at Medieval Times earlier in the same night, police say.
At around 8 p.m. on Friday, a 34-year-old man was randomly assaulted outside of Medieval Times, near Dufferin St. and Saskatchewan Rd. Employees at the venue had apparently asked the suspect to leave for being disruptive, Toronto police Const. Allyson Douglas-Cook.
The suspect later returned and smashed two glass doors, she said. Afterwards, outside the venue, the man allegedly approached the victim who was smoking a cigarette and assaulted him.
She said the victim and suspect had no prior contact.
“The victim was seriously injured enough to be taken to hospital,” Douglas-Cook said, adding that he had black eyes and a broken tooth.
The suspect fled the area after the assault.
Later that same evening around 10:30 p.m., police said they received a call about a man who dropped his drawers and jumped into a tank full of sharks at Ripley’s Aquarium.
“Further investigation revealed the man involved in both incidents was the same person,” Toronto police said in a press release.
On Monday night, Douglas-Cook said police were able to identify the man with help from the public as David Weaver, 37, from Nelson, B.C.
He is wanted for assault causing bodily harm and mischief interfering with property.
Security camera footage shows a man entering the aquarium in downtown Toronto shortly after 10 p.m. He bought a ticket before immediately taking off his clothes, climbing over the security barrier and jumping into the water, Ripley’s officials said in a statement.
“Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada is co-operating with authorities and is willing to press all appropriate charges once the individual has been apprehended,” the statement read.
Videos captured by onlookers show the naked man swimming in the tank as sharks dart by in the water beneath him. As he was climbing out of the tank, in front of the security person who was waving him out, he took a backward dive off the rocks and into the water as people in the crowd cheered.
The skinny-dipper then hoisted himself out of the tank, hopped over the gate and headed into the crowd where a woman handed him what appears to be clothing.
“There were no injuries to the man, animals or patrons,” police said.
Employees brought towels to the man and told him to stay on-site until the police arrived, said Derek Marlow, who saw the stunt.
“Once he got his clothes back on, he and his girlfriend walked right out of the aquarium despite security staff yelling at him to wait for police and get back in this small holding room they wanted to keep him in,” Marlow told the Star.
His friends saw the man at Union Station later, Marlow said.
Police described Weaver as 35-40 years old, five-foot-ten and 220 pounds. He has a shaved head, a dark goatee, a tattoo on his lower leg and is missing a front tooth. He was last seen wearing a dark hoodie, dark jeans, a green teal T-shirt, and grey and white shoes.
Police say he may be be driving a green Dodge Caravan with the British Columbia license plate number PL120G.
Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-5200 or call Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477).
Please share this
No comments:
Post a Comment