5 arrests made in connection to post-basketball-game fight, stabbing at Vancouver high school

Vancouver police say they've made arrests in connection to a stabbing at Eric Hamber Secondary School after a basketball game earlier this week.

Vancouver police say they have arrested five people—“all youths and all students”—after a fight that saw an 18-year-old boy stabbed at a local high school earlier this week.

The altercation occurred around 9 p.m. Monday, shortly after the conclusion of a tense, triple-overtime basketball game between Eric Hamber and Killarney secondary schools, which Eric Hamber hosted.

Vancouver Police Department spokesperson Sgt. Steve Addison told reporters on Tuesday that tensions between fans had been building during the game, and “conflicts” in the stands escalated to violence in the school once the game was over.

During the fights that ensued, an 18-year-old former student was stabbed in the arm. He was taken to hospital and “underwent surgery or significant medical treatment,” Addison said, adding that the boy was now recovering.

Police attended the school after the fights, but no arrests were made on Monday night.

Investigators set up an online portal for witnesses to upload video they had taken of the incident, and Addison told reporters the information gathered would be used to identify those responsible for the stabbing and any other offences that may have been committed.

At least one other person was injured during the fighting, Addison said Tuesday.

In an email to CTV News Thursday afternoon, Addison said the five youths who have been arrested are people investigators believe were involved in the stabbing “and other offences that occurred during the altercation.”

“The suspects have not yet been charged and have been released from custody pending completion of the investigation,” Addison said.