Suspect arrested following viral video of Whistler, B.C., mountain bike toss

A man has been suspended from using the Whistler Mountain Bike Park after throwing a teenager’s bike off a bridge.

Mounties in Whistler, B.C., say a suspect has been arrested after a viral video showed a frightening encounter between a man and a group of teenagers in a local bike park.

In the video, posted online late last month, the man appears to shove one of the teens at the Whistler Mountain Bike Park and then throw one of their bikes off a wooden bridge into a river below.

The man then warned the group about a cougar in the area before walking away.

A statement from the Sea to Sky Whistler RCMP says investigators are still gathering information about the incident Thursday, but police confirmed a suspect was taken into custody and released with conditions pending a court appearance.

“We know that this type of behaviour is not tolerated by our Whistler Blackcomb partners, and we will continue to support them in ensuring the safety and well-being of all users of the Whistler Mountain Bike Park,” Cpl. Katrina Boehmer said in the statement.

Two of the teens involved in confrontation spoke with CTV News following the incident, saying they were visiting Whistler from the United States when the altercation occurred. The teens reported the encounter to park staff, who recognized the man as a regular park user, they said.

Vail Resorts, which operates the Whistler Mountain Bike Park, told CTV News it revoked the man’s access to the park after the video was released.

“The safety of our guests is our top priority, and behaviour of this nature is not appropriate or acceptable in the Whistler Mountain Bike Park,” the company said.

The teen’s bike was recovered from the river and was not damaged, the teenagers said.

Investigators are urging anyone with information about the encounter to contact the Sea to Sky Whistler RCMP detachment at 604-932‑3044.

With files from CTV News Vancouver’s Shannon Paterson