Welcome to Vancouver True Crime. My name is Mark, I'm the host
the show. I had two great guests, I was on
their podcast, murder with my mother, and I have Danica and I
have Christy, and we're going to talk today about the safety and
the decline of safety in the city of Vancouver, Chris seats
are off with you. You were born and raised in
Vancouver. I was actually born and raised
in a small town in Vancouver Island, very little ever
happened. They're very safe neighborhood
and I raised my kids. Kids here.
So even raising, especially janica, who was quite a handful
raising. Kids here was very different
from where I grew up. So I'd never seen any of the
kind of violence or the dangerous stuff that happens
here in the town of Port McNeill, where I grew up the
worst thing that ever happened was, you know, a fight in a
party or something like that. Nothing compared to here,
typical stuff more typical, for sure.
Where did he raise their kids looking?
So we lived generally around the Guilford area of Surrey and so
did hika went to an inner-city school.
She was in a popular crowd stuff, I started to see even
back, that was back in the early 2000s.
Mid-2000s was, you know, unlike anything I'd ever seen before
with the violence and the bear spraying.
And one of her friends actually got attacked by a hatchet You
know, it was it was so much going on compared to what we
were used to. Wow, what a world.
What year was that? Tanika?
That that happened. That was 2006.
I believe. So we out, we were at a hall
party hall parties back then were we're all the rage.
But yeah. But the thing is quickly.
I know that they didn't last many many years because quickly,
you see, the escalation, and obviously, we're seeing that
kind of, again, it's kind of ramped back up.
Up in the escalation in violence and young people that are the
ones who are the, being the violent offenders, right?
So, we were at a Halloween party, a close friend of mine
was, yeah, attacked and attacked by multiple people, but was one
of them carrying a hatchet. And these kids were like 15, 16
years old. And yeah, I mean, think about
that, a 16 year old with a hatchet.
I don't know if you think about the Direct effects.
Of what could that could do to somebody but that you could
murder someone easily. That's exactly, yeah, totally.
Wow. So around that time line.
Okay. I'm trying to think.
So at that time I lived downtown, Vancouver, relatively
and less around like the bars getting out.
It would get a little Violet and the bars we go to the the
brilliant people at City Hall in Vancouver, decided to move all
the nightclubs on ground Wall Street.
So when they all get out all at the same time, they all
congregate on. Underground Wall Street and
you'd see all kinds of crazy stuff, but but that was usually
no on weekends. If they had some event like a
firework nights, and you get like a big, influx or crowds
where I saw violence, really start to uptick.
In Vancouver, was probably around Book, 2008.
I was working for a large software company downtown and
there was just around the corner from eels.
The sharing, the same city block was Gotham Steakhouse, and there
was basically a Like a Gangland, something out of Hollywood
shooting those at the office late and there was a Scott cars
everywhere like in the sirens and I stepped out.
This guy was having an engagement dinner.
I posted about it. Leave his name was Ricardo, I
can't remember his last name but he was like a serious gangster.
He was having an engagement party at the gulf and Steakhouse
gunman showed up with submachine guns, just like out of Hollywood
and then sprayed his car. And Took off.
I don't think they ever got caught.
So, that was a first time where my whoa, like, things are,
things are getting different here.
And in that case, it was just like escalation of gang
violence, more shootings, more shootings, and more shootings,
it had to do with the the drug war in Mexico, the president, at
the time, declared war on the cartels of the Mexican national
Arnie, which drove the price of cocaine up so cocaine.
When From both 13,000 dollars, a kilo to 30,000, which created a
vacuum in Vancouver and then all the gangsters were killing each
other for who had cocaine Supply.
So that there was always a kind of ties to the reason of why
there are violence saying I'm talking about major events but
recently it's not just tied to stick gang violence its Tides
random. It's a my opinion it's people
with serious mental health considerations who also have a
Drug addiction who basically in their state of delirium, they're
out on the street interacting with people and having violent
incidents of stabbings shootings, bear spraying
damaging property and its prolific and we're at a stage
where many people majority of people who live specially in the
Metro Vancouver. Do not feel safe.
They don't feel safe in their kids.
Take public transit. It's really concerning to me.
Because I'm wondering the where is this going?
How, how lucky like you were saying, learn for raw fair.
But are we going to get to the headline stories?
Where someone took a bunch of bath salts and ate someone on
the street? It wouldn't surprise me exactly
at all right. Now, I would not be surprised it
and that's really sad because I remember growing up in Surrey.
Obviously, you know, we were always like, oh, you're from
Sri, you know, because I feel that Suri kind of had the, I
want to say the upper hand of violence, like that's kind of
where it started like I Member people would always say like oh
so you know Suri they were scared to go to Serena here of
the shooting that Surrey and of course there was in the early
2000s there was the Surrey 6 that happened right?
And so and also there was a lot of targeted shootings.
I remember there was a woman shot with her child in the car
there was and this was all just in the area that I grew up in.
And so there was that there was a same thing, someone sitting in
a car at Guilford Mall shot, shot and killed.
And Is were all tied to gang violence or the drug the drug
trade, like you said but you know also young kids back then
at parties a lot of the time it was kind of the not so much gang
but like you know the the crowd violence where it would be a
group of kids and they would be you know, it was a lot of that.
But you kind of seen it, you know, obviously these are the
same kids who now have grown into being the people who Our, I
believe downtown with, you know, the mental health issues with
the addiction with like I said, you know, earlier before we got
on the drug Supply, in our city is not safe and I believe that
whatever is in these drugs is really taking a toll on it.
What we've been through in the last three years, everybody is
going through something. So now if they're going to turn
with their coping mechanisms that a lot of people with trauma
have is You know, to take something that makes you kind of
forget what you're going through in your life.
But if you're taking something that is going to make you
violent and make you you know hallucinate and maybe if you're
having hallucinations of like I said, you know you're taking
something like bath salts. Unknowingly that's not going to
lead anywhere. Good.
No, no not at all. And like a you like he said,
right? We got it.
We got a few things going on here, right?
But there there's the gang violence that's been increasing
probably for about the last decade and and lots of Unsolved
shootings. And a lot of them did take place
in Surrey Metro Vancouver a little bit and add this Ford was
really a hot spot for a while but it seems that kind of calm
down a bit. But she look walk the shootings
in the last couple of years have been in Surrey and also, there's
been some high-profile ones also in Vancouver, things like that.
Then on top of it, you let the teen violence.
It's the teen violence is kind of an interesting phenomenon
because they're hyper violent. You know, like you're saying
using hatchets using bear spray using groups swarming, you know,
10 online and stuff. And you know, that's concerning
because it's with the random nature of it and its young
people who don't understand the consequences of their actions.
Exactly. And everything these days is on
the internet, right? So, we're seeing everything
right away. You can see, you know, all these
horrible videos on the internet, people are almost there, unfazed
by things these days. So, totally, uh, I also believe
that the pandemics of this is more for the, the younger
teenagers. The ones that really were locked
down during the pandemic and those impressionable years.
Like two years, it seemed to really mess them up.
Yeah, I've hundred percent. I think it did.
It messed up, you know, everything from pets.
Take kids to everyone, has some struggles coming out of the
pandemic, and then almost like there's no filter on how you
should be acting in a public domain, you know, to, to live
your life, with other people. Video games and violence and
stuff like that has affected the children.
They're locked in doing whatever they wanted to do.
Basically, I think with less censorship, I mean, I graduated
high school in 2010. So from 2006 to 2010, the things
that I would see. And obviously to, I mean, you
have back then it was mostly alcohol-fueled, right?
Kids getting their hands on alcohol, you know, kids showing
up and I use the word kids because I mean in the moment you
if we felt like oh yeah we're you know you're so old but it is
kids, these are these are kids, these are kids under the you
know 15 16 17 year old kids and like I said you would mostly be
after parties and things like that you know you'd be in the
McDonald's and people would start throwing chairs it was
usually alcohol-fueled but now you're seeing kids that are you
know it's midday they're attacking and bear macing
someone like in a restaurant or Just for no reason.
Yeah, Transit being stabbed. Like it's just it's very
concerning where a lot of the young kids these days.
Their mental health is is rapidly declining because
there's just, there's so much violence around them.
There's no resources for kids that are are going through
things, you know, who wants to talk to their parents at that
age, right? It's unless you are someone who
has a close relationship with your kid.
You can't. Really intervene because they're
probably not letting you in on any of it.
So it is, it's very yeah, it's just it's sad to see because it
is a lot of young kids and they can do a lot of damage and even
look, I mean the boy that was just murdered on the bus.
It is horrible, but it was not a very the, the person who
perpetrated that murder the murderer.
He was not that much older than him, you know, their two kids.
Yeah. Their children at the end of the
Family lost our child. And the others will be up
forever affected. Who knows?
Like if that person will ever realize, hey, I did something
awful. I did something terrible.
And that's the thing that I see in the, specially the videos, I
get sent, there's a Detachment to the type of violence of the
perpetrated, like, apply these cases that we just talked about,
right? You're out of McDonald's.
You you're with your Yahoo friends.
He's been drinking all day. You're doing stupid stuff and
you probably know you're doing stupid stuff, right?
And the next day You probably wake up with, oh my God.
What did I do, right? Yeah, exactly.
I've been sent where it's like a bunch of punk kids with this
what they are and they'll Target like an old man in an elevator,
not causing. There's no, there's no
escalation the exist, some old man, just going into an elevator
into for the doors closed. They blast him a bear spray and
they all laugh. They can, it's hilarious and I
get the posted online, right? So there's like this cruelty
does underlining kind of viciousness and cruelty that.
I Seen before things like we talked about.
Escalade people get drunk. They do stupid stuff.
They ate each other on a lot of the gang violence.
It's, it's as bad as a violence is, but it's about business as
someone annals of money. It's, it's gang related stuff.
Lot of these hardcore gangster Darkness not out there to
shooting people for fun you know and this is what's different in
that. I see it's like he got this new
upcoming class of violent. Aunt children that does Golden
perpetrate violence for the sake of perpetrating violence that is
new and that is something that hasn't been in Vancouver before
and that's what's making it scary.
And then you got that mixed with an influx of drugs, clean bad,
you know, mixtures of, who knows what that they're taken.
Anyone that takes street drugs is already near you're putting
yourself at rest, but in this environment it's Russian
Roulette. The cost of living has risen.
So humongously Lies that these kids are having at home and the
parents are struggling to make ends meet, not to mention the
people that were already high risk to start out with, from
not, you know, being low income being on disability being on
welfare. And then now you can't even go
to the grocery store and buy three things and it's $100.
So, yeah, I think that has a factor because now he look at
the shoplifting. You look at, you know, you and
then that raises prices up it. So, it's like a vicious circle
is It is totally. Yeah we're going to talk.
I think we're heading into most like what I call like a perfect
storm. You know like you said prices,
the cost of living is skyrocketing it's probably
affecting a lot of families Adnan me that you know in some
families who don't handle problems, very functionally.
So if you have a family that's highly stressed out.
And then on top of that, there's underlining addiction, issues,
alcohol issues. These things are just going to
exasperate stress. And crisis exactly.
And given the pandemic. I mean staying home with that
family for two years, right? A what has that done to kids?
You know you heard through the pain demek like how many couples
made it out of the pandemic, right?
And that's what people said but what you don't think about is
the kids that were there in those households, right?
And maybe that has I mean I am always big now on finding out
why people are the way they are. The Trauma that is associated
with people becoming who they become and your parents have a
big part in that, right? So, I mean, what people are
seeing at home and like you touched on with all the mental
illness, with all the drugs, with all of the unsafe drugs,
you know, people are becoming people who they normally are
not. And I feel that that has had a
big impact on our younger generation and just yeah, it's
the perfect storm. A really, really is the perfect
storm. That's scary.
They're going to you touched on something right.
Like heard a statistic during the pandemic that divorce rates
went up 40% and drinking. Went up.
Fifth. This is in b.c. they said
alcohol, sales went up. Yeah, they did.
I mean I was buying boxes of wine at the beginning.
It was like almost didn't even didn't even know what to do.
It was like okay well I'm just gonna buy a box of wine because
I don't know what the hell else to do.
But yeah. You know if and then your case
you can handle a little glass of wine.
So I put other people, they have a lots of wine.
They have something. This SI that next thing I know
they're making a call. Yeah, I would say also, I
stopped at one point, like it became to the point of like you
can't just sit home and drink wine all the time and then other
people did not stop, you know, it's just ethnically.
Oh, some people don't have that regulatory voice in their head,
right? It's no, I'm going to drink this
whole box of wine and then I'm going to call someone else to
come over to bring something to get me even more.
You know, don't mess up. Exactly.
And then, of course, this has a trickle down, right?
If family know the family Dynamic, there's more drinking,
there's more fighting. There's divorce divorce.
In my opinion, is probably the number one thing that F supp.
I agree every in, every case where I've seen like really
dysfunctional children in an environment they're so what
happened did the kids start acting up only when I got
divorced you know that's the most common thing here.
And then on top of that, right? The, the kind of the the change
is society. Like, you know, we I don't feel
that Vancouver. Ever went back to the post
pandemic. No, I feel like it was just,
it's been stuck. It's like, we're still in a
pandemic of sorts. I feel it.
Feel the real pandemic is the drugs and the trauma, and the
violence. I feel that the Cove covid.
You know, they were showing you, the numbers all day, every day.
And for me, it was like, I mean, I'm someone with high anxiety
already so somebody and I don't think I'm alone and I think
after 2020, a lot of people's mental health, whether it be
anxiety, whether it be depression, whether it just be
fear, I think that the whole world was affected in different
ways and triggered in ways that no, we've never, we never have
been Yeah, it was a surreal time for me like a you speaking
personally like it was like the first I knew that we were in for
an interesting Journey when people and flying from Hong Kong
were arriving with 8 L ball. He said, yeah I'm like oh God.
Yeah you know like look at this that you know this issue back to
the pandemic quickly look how people off to look I look I've
been in public where I have seen people this have a Meltdown
because someone's not wearing a mask.
And the guy says all, sorry my, but the Strangling Mouse broke
and have another guy person screaming like just and, and,
you know, that was disturbing, you know, and then also kind of
like these, I hate to say it. But these very self-righteous
type that decided that for whatever reason, if people
didn't get vaccinated, they were like the scourge of humanity and
real vocal about it, right? So that that can exhaust brake
mental health to write, you know, you're out in public and
your Raid that old my God. If I don't wear a mask, if I
don't do this, I'm going to be targeting, right?
And I seen some pretty vicious stuff.
People did get very vicious well and then you came to the the
part where people were being excluded from anything.
People weren't even allowed to go out in public.
If they weren't vaccinated, they weren't allowed in restaurants,
you know, it was 15. It was crazy.
Like that's the only possible Joy.
Who was a construction worker that I worked outside?
He had a who worked with a hammer or fit a construction
company for 14 years. Never had any issues that were
wrong. He didn't want to get
vaccinated. So they said, sore, if you do
get bucks and you're going to your, we're going to fire you so
they said, no, I'm not going to get it, you know?
And then like how did that I want to lead to his mental
health? You know, being uplifted, it
didn't at all. So that was all Julie, the end
up having to leave, well, probably turn out to be a good
thing, who knows? But they end up leaving
Vancouver and moving to caliber which they end up being happy.
Well, there was a mass Exodus, I feel like afterwards, After the
pandemic and still going on, people are leaving DC for all
these different reasons. And yeah, with with the yeah,
with the like getting vaccinated, I know a family
member who was not vaccinated, but they had been working from
home since probably early, March of 2020, and this was in 2020,
the end of 2021, she was let go because she refused to get
vaccinated, but she'd been working from home for the past
year and a half. So it was just I mean and myself
II didn't get vaccinated because I was pregnant and for me I
didn't feel like I and for me I'm up to date with all my
vaccinations, you know, in other areas of my life, I have always
had my vaccines my children have their vaccines but this one was
just no. Yeah, but he have these people
with brass knuckles. You better have brought actually
ended or your early leader in person in the world, you know.
Yeah. And I feel like it was fear that
was you know, Mass like massively really pushing these
people to be like that was fear. I think beer and the loss of
control that we all had for the last couple years.
And it was that's what was driving these people.
But I mean yeah it was very, you know the other interest at me
about the pandemic. This is illegal digressing from
her topic, but however, it is interesting to me and I don't
know if it actually plays a component, but the destruction
of Celebrity culture because in the beginning they were all pro
this and then people this got that he got the ire of people.
Yeah, it's like you know like you had Tom Hanks lecturing
people for not wearing a mask and then you see him out and Bob
but no worries. Yes to you you celebrities you
have four credits and that's what kind of came to look at
Hollywood. Hollywood's is like a joke now
the Will Smith slapping and you know what I mean?
It's like the pandemic, it not only the it decimated things.
A different way, but it just ripped apart, or culture or
especially the celebrity culture, like it's probably the
worst time now in the human history to be a celebrity.
Oh, yeah. Well, and even just being them,
like, with all their gray, hairs, go into their beard, you
know, big scruffy beards, and they all gained weight and it's
like, okay, well, you guys are human.
Well, that's kind of nice to see.
But yeah, I kind of shattered that, you know, Hollywood
picture, Holman self isolate, and she House, literally the
size of the Costco, you know, falling Holly's movie theaters.
And people say, oh really, yeah, you poor thing right?
So yeah, I found that was interesting too because we're
were like our culture that we had like before going into
pandemic, you know, art culture, celebrity stuff, gossip, all
that kind of, you know, movies coming out every, you know,
member movies. We should come out every Friday.
Yeah. And and we don't really have
like like a, it could like a thorn world does not look the
way it looks before. Now, heater on the like again,
back to our topic, you turn on the news, it's just horrible
news kids being stabbed on the bus, the, you know, just going
on and on the SkyTrain hyper-violent, you'll stabbings
on the platform guy Trend, they release a picture of the guy.
Why don't they release the guys name?
Yeah, exactly. Yeah, but it's Pages like yours
that I feel really help them You know, people that are out in our
community be aware because posing a picture of that person
is important, but you don't see the main news streams posting
the pictures of some criminals that, you know, depending on
what the crime is. Maybe they are able to be
rehabilitated. But for people that are violent,
offenders people that will go up and stabbed a random stranger or
cut a run. You know, decapitate a random
stranger, or, definitely, a beautiful beat up, an old lady
kidnap, and, you know, sexually abuse and murder children.
The fact that the government cannot see that maybe these
people need to stay in jail. Good.
That's just a neon flag for me. Sure that I agree 100%.
There's the you know, you know we all can be put into a
situation or maybe something Escalates and gets out of
control. Like maybe let's say, I go to
the bar and I drink too much and then I get I have an argument
with an idiot and that I pushed the guy and he falls and hits
his head and I know get charged with manslaughter, right?
I didn't go, I did go out that day with the intention to kill
someone, right? And then I'll pay for the
mistake all do jail time and then during that time, I could
be sincerely remorseful and sorry and, you know, try to make
amends to the found because it's not my nature to kill people was
a terrible situation that expired, but, but the other
people we talked about Predators people that used a system gain
the system like Clifford Olson, game, the system financially,
and for his means, you know, that our system should not give
them any. The system should be, there
should be something in place that they can identify who they
are, and make sure that they're punished a quarter, and it
should be Taylor, exact individuals, and the individuals
crimes, you know, not just across the board, a city that
we're all three of us. You know, grew up in Metro
Vancouver. That you know, it had its
moments, there was, you know, times a night, you know, bars or
whatever that you didn't go to. And if you want to trouble you
could course always find it. We're now we're in a situation
where it doesn't matter. You could be walking during the
day the afternoon, wherever taking public transit SkyTrain
and find yourself in a very terrible situation, which is the
kind of a new phase, right, where we're at.
But I believe that the government has and should be
responsible and should take this serious.
If they if they did all that stuff for the pandemic locking
us down. Making us jump, you know, Skip
and hop every time they put out a new, you know, mandate a mask
or this or that, right? You know, they the government
stepped in and took control of society.
Well, I feel that they can do this because this is just as
dangerous and this is actually probably puts people even have
more, a true risk. Not only that The business
killer, the economics. I know.
Now you talk about someone having a business is such a
terrible thing. Small businesses are the biggest
employers and is one of the biggest economic factors for,
especially, for the city of Vancouver, people start
businesses, they hire people, it causes economic spin-off, right?
And so, then it comes down to was a biggest factor, is
underlining addiction. Is probably one of the biggest
factors addiction and mental health, right?
Why is it so hard for people to get help?
I've seen it personally it right where people who need mental
health, their on waiting lists or they do get it through the
public system and it, excuse my language.
It's the only elegant way way I can express it.
The type of therapy. They get is complete dog.
Shit. We happily dog, shit.
It's like a little pamphlet that you get in a waiting room.
Oh, how do you feel I'm gonna do or, or a phone call?
Like yeah. Well as and call I've been on
some Zoom calls for for other people to support them and the
so-called therapist person, I even said this is like, this is
worse than dry through McDonald. Yes.
Yeah, very impersonal. Yeah, and then let's put them on
drugs. Let's put on from n to just
press any press. Yes, it's working on some making
me. Like at sleep gives me saw.
While we're off, it'll wear off to school here.
Some sleeping pills. Here's some sleeping pills to
help with that or here's some, you know.
Yeah, exactly. It's the care is not at the
level that it should be for, for the level of.
Yeah. No.
It's actually pretty bad. It's actually, in my opinion,
it's embarrassing from the stuff I witnessed.
It says, was embarrassing. The witness it live like.
Yeah. And also, I mean, I think that
what really came out to a lot of how, like, we were kind of
touched on the government, and you know what, they contributed
obviously for their, you know, just the criminal justice
system. But also, if you look at and we
discuss this on our podcast a lot, you know, a lot of people
were not privy to what our government, what was going on in
our government through the years, especially when it comes
to the Havoc, That they've caused on indigenous families
and, you know, the generational effect that it had on these
families and the fact that they are, I mean to just be cut and
dry. I mean, they are responsible for
a lot of the things that we see, right.
A lot of the generational issues that we've seen and a lot of the
people suffering with these because of these generational
issues in the trauma of residential schools, Poor, first
and foremost, those are the issues, right?
Those have been issues. But now, to not provide the
resources at these people need to, you know, the counseling,
these severe, like they need therapy.
They need things to help them understand which, how can you
even understand what happened to these two their families, right?
It'll destroy. Someone's Community is so yeah.
When you expect them to steal functional, this oldest fit
right in. And it's, you know, do the right
thing, right? That there's a lot of layers at
this. There's a it, the overwhelming?
I mean, just to listen to it. I can't imagine.
I was fortunate enough to not have to live through it.
I can't imagine how you even would differentiate, you know
what's, okay? And what's not, okay, when
you've grown up with so much intergenerational trauma?
Yeah. Oh, absolutely.
And then you talk about this. So the downtown Eastside, one of
the factors that created the downtown Eastside.
So I don't know if you remember, like I remember back.
In the day when day me street was the bad streak was Davey
Street and it was like there's a documentary.
It's actually pretty good. It's it was done in the 80s as
called the hookers on Davis Street.
You can find it on YouTube and and they be Street was
discovered the Frog sex workers on thing. 150 at any given day
time and night would be working the street and then they pushed
them all down to the downtown east side.
Then on top of that, that they close down River View and they
created this kind of Open air drug area that was filled with a
pie population of mental health ex-patients from Riverview, what
could go wrong, right? So this like 30 years in the
making, right? So we created almost like this
perfect storm in my opinion, that's 30 years in the making we
stopped building adequate social housing.
Those disgusting sros hotels, were never meant to be social
housing. Oh, no, those those were built
like in the 1900s when when men would come into Vancouver and
work in a sawmill single men, And they be working on the
waterfront there, on the Sawmills.
And then it go to their room and pass out and go to work in the
next morning right there. That's what they're almost like.
We're like hostiles. Yeah, you know, they're and
they're disgusting like, you know, they share each floor,
shares a bathroom. We do it.
It's inhumane. Yeah.
And you know God so lot easily have that, right?
You have this, basically this environment that's not suitable.
and then filled with drugs, violence, And there's no
solution really Insight, which is scarce.
Yeah, it is. It's pretty depressing for sure.
I spoke to be the ethanol. It definitely.
Well, and also too. I know you have kids, you have
young kids and I have young kids and Mom, you have viable.
You have young kids to. Yeah.
But you know, it really makes you think because, you know,
obviously our kids are growing up in this time right now and
there's lots of people out there with young kids.
I know a lot of another was a little baby boom.
After the pandemic, that's another thing that happened, you
know, a lot of people. What else did you do in the
pandemic? I mean, There's a lot of people
like I said there was a lot of divorce but there was also a lot
of births. So that is just it people, the
importance of making sure that you're working through your
stuff and that you have a government that is there to help
you. And to, to make sure that this
is not the same things happening every decade and these kids are
being born into a more more, and more violent left report of
length, less affordable. Less affordable.
Yeah, that's thing you touch on to.
Why would I want to live in a city where it's just like five
times were to live but five times more Violet and not very
fun. Anywhere Member One, Vancouver
East, be fun. Yeah and you didn't have to
worry, you could go out late at night.
I said, go out. Like I'd be cutting standing
when I live downtown. I've been staggering home at
5:00 in the morning, you know, like the chopped I could ever
been the easiest Target in the world and And never ever had but
didn't even come into your mind at that time cop.
Luckily not to like two years ago or so.
Oh my God. You know?
Yeah. So let's change the law, you
know the city, you know for listeners, right?
It's like the city used to be a fun place used to be, you know,
a great place for a young person to live and it was always a
little on the pricey side but there was stuff that made up for
it. Yeah.
Like being able to ride the bus
and not have to worry even Something going on the sky
draining kids, kids are on the SkyTrain.
You know you I would never let my child now.
Just all that's happening. I would, I would not feel safe
allowing my child especially even just after the last two
weeks. But I've seen the teenagers that
have to take transit, right? I would suggest is you know,
through people you trust of course is Hobbit.
Rock your phones with people? You trust if I'm on the sky
drain, you can track where Removing an unfortunate that
lady was doing that for her son. She was tracking her son.
And then she saw that he went to Royal Columbia.
Oh, they're gonna devastating my awful but that is a good Dino
tip to do though. Ray can track someone and and
and the thing is is that they keeping that kid.
I'm not saying he did anything wrong, but don't be afraid to
call 911. If you really feel like your
life is at stake. Well and I feel that kids these
days. Maybe they don't even know like
Because to have a confrontation with somebody, that's one thing,
but to think of the next level of someone's going to attack me
with a weapon or you know, exactly.
Because it's one thing to have words and especially, you know,
at that age. If someone were to say something
to you and I don't know the exact background, I don't know.
Maybe, Mark, I don't know if you have any more light on that but
I don't know if these kids were known to each other.
I don't know, but I heard that the girl.
So this is what I heard, this book, The Bus.
We were a kid, got murder on the bun bus on was a King George,
right? Yeah, he said, he knew that I
wore my understanding is he knew the girl and the girl didn't
like him and she was whistling, you know, her new boyfriend that
and I heard a rumor. I know if they'll quote me on
this but he just recently got released out of juvie.
No, it's always those. We look that is, it's always
repeat offenders that were reading about in the newspapers
or you're reading about your hearing, you're seeing on your
page, you know this And while they're out on parole or they're
out on whatever probation, they're repeating the same
offenses but they're taking that extra step.
And now look I mean who knows what he was in before in for but
now you know he's going to be in there for murder.
But will he be in there longer than five years?
Because he's not very old. I think he's 20.
Yeah. So Lisa be charged in a doll but
still right and what does that do here?
No, in end of the day, call it what it is.
It's cold-blooded murder and like that.
Other guy that stops where I think that I survived, but he
was in critical condition and I'm like, saying, seriously, not
even their releases name. Nothing.
And and, and and I was, I would think at the very least if you
do a type of violent incident on the SkyTrain, shouldn't he be
banned from riding it forever? Yeah, I don't.
I, yeah, I think I don't get why that's on the, or even like a
make or conditions like you're not allowed to use it.
I traded there was this guy at post about last summer, real
monster, the new West, he talked three women on the SkyTrain bit
one other seeds. I remember that, I remember that
guy and it's always that same, guys picture that pops up into
my head. The guy who I'm he's a child, a
child molester. I know the one who changes his
appearance all the time. Yeah.
Yes. And I know this happened last
time I can I give you a an idea of his appearance but you
literally I think one time you post a picture of him having
like for Different appearances beards.
But that's yeah I know that guy he uses disguises and Stockwell
dress up like a dog catcher or a priest and he'll try to like
dress up in ways that will be more appealing to kids to.
Yeah. Yeah.
That's why that guy. There's no way in hell.
That guy should ever see that's enough going to say well why the
fuck is this guy in and out still when you know that he'll
do anything in his power to change his disguise so he can
commit the same? And a crime again, that guy
should be away for life. You know, how deep of a monster
that guy was so he was in a halfway house that that was run
by the parole board of Canada. Right.
So he I don't know why if you work with child molesters and
right you'd bring your kid to work but it was bring your kids
that day that guy got out of this room.
And one of the actual like staff members brought their kit to
work and he was found with that guy's kid with their kid in his
room. They, yeah, I remember that.
Well, if a key is he will even take a chance with like he's
walls and under halfway house. The try to be alone with the
child of one of the staff? Yeah.
That's because they don't stop. Yeah.
The government has to stop them. The criminal justice system has
to keep them away. And I feel like that's why I
brought that up is just being aware.
I think this is another good tip to how to stay safe.
Is being vigilant of knowing like following a page, like
Vancouver, True Crime. I mean because these days a lot
of people are very desensitized to things and, you know, they
don't watch the news and they don't, but they do connect with
Pages like yours and that's why you're doing such a great
service, posting these peoples pictures, posting, you know,
where these people attack, Back people posting just being aware
and Vigilant of your community and knowing things that are
happening in your community. I think that plays a big role in
knowing how to stay safe. I mean maybe people are going to
kind of avoid public transit right now but some people don't
have that luxury, right? And if he don't have to, you
know, because again look at where all the violent incidents
they haven't been at nightclubs. I haven't been at scary biker
bars or places that you'd think there'd be like lots of
violence. No, they've been like you said,
malls. It's SkyTrain buses, public area
restaurants yeah, everyday areas that people everyday people are
going through. Okay.
Wow so you know out on the street the sidewalk or whatever
Starbuck yeah Starbucks Sunday, a Sunday afternoon on Starbucks.
A dad with his toddler gets stabbed to death.
Like, you know, you this horrible, you know, that I said
the city. So these were the things that I
would suggest to the audience, right?
If you're a type of person that likes to argue with people or
looking alike to give your opinion, maybe that's the time
to stop doing that and there's no point of getting any type of
verbal confrontation. No, definitely, no.
If someone comes up to you and says something crazy, walk away,
don't say a thing. If they're violent or your,
they're like having that posture violets, get away from them
right, great distance, right? Don't engage them verbally.
I would not get into Any type of confrontation with a stranger.
Now I all you knows and I just don't, it's not.
That's right now is being hyper-vigilant right?
Like you know like I'm I posted about this guy using a bank
machine ATM Sophos Seymour Street and he got robbed is a
video of the die. Grabbing I'm the attack.
You know. I'm right.
And like you know again I'm not trying to be too judgmental
today but maybe go use a better bait machine nominees one that's
so exposed to the public where he cat will ECB.
Nice. If you have to use a bank
machine, go into were an actual Bank.
That's open where you're inside. Not like you knows ATMs are on
like the, the street level. And the other thing were where
people are being targeted is shopping malls in their
shopping. So you go by, so yourself some
nice shoes or whatever, and then you're walking to your car with
your bag. So this person sees a hey, this
person just went shopping. These Promenade bought something
expensive. Been hearing people being
targeted for that. So again it's like it's like you
Almost have to have this plan up.
If you're going shopping, where's your car part?
How do you get to your car looking around?
You situational awareness? Right, exactly.
And even I think because we live in such a time of the internet
and people constantly posting, you know, their location and
where they are and you want. I mean, sure, my house is empty
for two weeks. Yeah.
Or posting, you know, kids especially our younger adults
posting large amounts of money and They are and then all the
sudden you hear about them being robbed and killed or you know
just people posting their location and maybe someone sees
it and they don't like you. So they're going to come with
their gang of buddies and they're going to mace you
they're going to they're going to bear mace you and and swarm
you you know it's just maybe don't post where you are while
you're there. I mean new pup tent and it's sad
that you even have to say that. Exactly.
Yeah. It's like a way you conduct
yourself. Like for me, if I'm out in
public, I want to be as non-confrontational as possible.
You know, will try to be invisible void.
People, do you know what I mean? Like, just do what you got to
do. Point A to point B.
Do you know it's so sad? It's super unfortunate.
Yeah, because that really takes away a not being enjoying
Vancouver. Oh, having a cone up to a cafe
or patio walking in an underground parking lot and not
thinking about it or even I was downtown Saturday night and I
was literally walking from Davey and like right where Davey and
Granville is and I was going maybe a block and I was thinking
like okay you know be aware keep your head kind of always looking
behind you around. You.
Is there anyone? Are?
You getting bad energy? Know, and that I was what was
exhausted. Are you here?
Yeah, it can be totally, right? Because who wants to live like
this and fear and I hate that. I hate.
I hate the idea of living. Being in fear.
But at the same time we're kind of at a new kind of a new kind
of Watermark and unfortunately I don't think I think it's going
to get a lot worse before it gets better, right?
I really hope that they step in it to implement, you know, maybe
new legislation and er this took a long time for it to get where
we're at. So it's not going to go away
overnight on. Yeah and I know that there was
After the encampment was taken down from the one.
I don't know what that one park is.
Not open Heimer Park but the other one that it was it went
from there. Yeah it went and it went to
Crabtree but it also then went to the other one, you know, the
casa gelato place. It's the one right there so that
Park 2020, the end of 2020. It was, you know, there was
there was it was almost like a little town.
It was, it was, you know, encampment, but that's when
they, when they took everyone from there.
And again, our government does not have, we have these sros,
but we don't have proper housing and adequate housing for people
to go to. So where did they go?
They went to to Hastings right? Set up their tents on Hastings
and now with what's going on too.
And there, I mean, obviously they're there are some good
things there, some bad things are not going about it.
I mean, we know the VPD is not the most compassionate.
People out there we know that just because of obviously the
history but I feel that the way that they're going about it even
that, you know, it's traumatic and a cent, but where are these
people going to go? You know, there's no help.
It's a tough situation of Catch-22 because it's like all
the fires and this and that but yet at the same time, I don't
like the idea of just grabbing people hurting up throwing their
cry. Hop in the end the dumpster and
okay, now if you go right because it you're just playing
that game, you know peony wakamoto, okay?
You take their tent down, guess what?
They need somewhere to sleep. So they're going to get another
cat like if I'm not going to sleep on the sidewalk in the
rain. Yeah.
And at the end of the day it's not just someone's tent, right?
And in their world, that's their home.
Those are their belongings. Exactly.
And humans, have we have basic needs.
And one of our basic needs is is shelter.
So, Food shelter, respect and maybe some, you know, the
empathy that we're not seeing in The Compassion that we're not
seeing, even in the having, you know, lack of adequate housing
for any of these people, something on a touch on there.
So that you're just, you made me think of something, what you
said, apathy, right? So, I'd been thinking really
hard like, hey like, why are these random macaques happening,
right? Like the, you know, I'm talking
just a real random ones, right? And, and one of the things That
I think of is like when you go downtown Vancouver and this is
always been a parent for me this even for a lost decade, the city
really comes across. And there's a lot of reasons why
people fall through the Crocs and there's a lot of reasons why
people don't write but when you walk around downtown it's very
apparent. There's the halves you know,
fancy outfits, too expensive, purses and shoes, dies and suits
and expensive haircuts and and then you someone with nothing,
you know The street bagging stuff like that.
So you see these contrasts right?
And the people that have just walked by and just attend.
Those people are invisible to them.
I tried my best. If someone came up to me
politely, hey I haven't eaten all day dead or dying.
I'd see this personal. I'm sure.
Hey, I'll buy something at Tim Hortons iy water didn't make
them feel human. I've seen a lot of people, not
judging them there. Everyone has different reasons
for whatever, but, you know, sometimes you see more of the
higher fanciful, this put out burden to everyone.
Is invisible including me like all all if I could open the door
for them just because I'm a courteous person and they don't
even give me eye contact, right? And I'm not offended by just
like that jerk, right? But what, I think, what that
does to someone that's beaten down, and beaten down, and
beaten down, and beaten down, and I'm not giving them any
excuse, but they become very hostile to their environment
because they feel that the environment is hostile to them.
And so, think about you havenít, you been using probably a, who
knows what you've been using crystal meth blah, blah, blah.
You're thinking is not right and you very feel.
There's no way out of this. How am I to get off the street?
How I'm going to get out of this tent?
How am I going to kick this drug addiction?
Were you know like I couldn't even imagine that hole of
Despair or what it would be like.
And I think that would give me a real sense of feeling of
helplessness and then when you're feeling that sense of
help was as you come from a A fear mindset and and again I'm
not trying to make excuses for people that Randall a atop
thanks, but I'm trying to understand the mindset right?
And and even myself I've worked fancy job.
That worked with Watershed work for IBM.
I've had days where at the meet a fancy client, I'm wearing a
suit. All everyone holds a door for
me. Everyone's old mr.
This and mr. That Casual Friday were in jeans
and t-shirts. No one wants to look at me.
I'm going to the bank that I've been to for the last five years
or you. Oh do you have a bank account
here? Do you can we see her ID?
I'm here every Friday though. But yesterday was worthless
Friday was wearing a suit and you guys were kissing my ass.
So there's this Vancouver's, always had the strange kind of
coldness are against that does rub people the wrong way and
even myself a born raised Vancouver, right, there's a
coldness and aloof here. So, with that with all these
other perfect storms, I can see where this would build up, this
kind of hostility. And in the, there is such a big
You know, array of people in our city, you know, there are people
there's there's and there's Lamborghinis with ends on the
back or elves, you know. And then right modulus here, yet
this year on the street, you're you're you're barely surviving
and then some kid pulls up the lambo, it, you know, they'd be
like exactly yeah yeah, it's a different city.
It's a different environment and quite frankly, it's one that I
become not to a fan of like a All the Vancouver's I grew up
with as a again, I'm old. I I've been living in Vancouver.
Consistently since 1977. So I've seen different versions
of it. I remember the Expo 86
Vancouver. That was fun.
I remember, you know, all the different, you know, eras that
we've had when the movie industry was big and we were
Hollywood North, and it was filled sets everywhere, you
know, that, you know, he felt like the reliable for me being
in the IT industry. Some of the.com booms of all
these startups was an exciting time, lots of business
opportunities, That met some amazing people.
I've worked for some amazing companies, so I I'm glad I've
had those experiences in this environment, but those are not,
those are not around anymore and that's not the Vancouver that
we're today. It's morphed into something
that's I find unrecognizable. They're still trying to promote
the postcard of come here and whale.
Watch and go skiing and golf but if you want to be drinks, that's
funny too. Yeah.
And don't turn your back or you're going to get and you bear
mace and Definitely my least favorite Vancouver.
Yeah, you know, it's sad because, you know, can be an
amazing place. It really can deter some when
I'll K, when I used to travel for work, I had, I had 40 cities
in North America that I would travel throughout.
I was always happy to come back to Vancouver.
In always, though, you know, the serenity it was calm.
It was chill. It's almost like compared to
some American cities. It's like you get off the plane
and you feel like you're on out of that.
Because it's just like a whore, everything is calm and the hello
quieter, you know like from from going from Manhattan to
Vancouver in one flight. It was like Bliss.
Yeah. Oh it's so fresh air just rain
the air smelled, nice, everything was green, you know,
hmm. And so there's things that I
really adore about the city and I want that back but I want this
to be a safe City, we too would be, it would be nice and I feel
like That's a right that we should have as people that live
here. People that visit here, you
should be able to safely, go about your day, go take the bus,
you know, walk at Stanley Park without having all that fear,
especially after the last couple of years, we've had, for sure,
could you imagine? I know, I don't feel guys are
but I'm not, but can you imagine being on online dating?
I was bump with that. After its person.
I looked at I always check the CSO and it was never good.
Oh, Lee. The, I mean, you know, it's kind
of that taboo thing. We're not supposed to talk
about, but there's some groups out there right now.
That I mean, just the people that are out dating.
If anyone the people that are listening right now, if you guys
are online dating just be careful that that person like a
mofo, you know, do your due diligence and be safe exactly
what I know that you do some podcasts to with like
narcissistic people like having You know, just the narcissistic
personality disorder I feel is like more prevalent right now
and there's more people and hiding in the shadows and their
methods. It is is crazy.
Like the way that they can Swindle you and they can just
talk manipulate looking at the full story of something, they're
reading the first chapter. And okay, that's okay.
Because, you know, you want to be happy, you want to be wanted
you want, To be all these things and yeah, right now with it, I
swear this, the mental health aspect of every aspect of Our
Lives is that's what the first thing that is has suffered from
all of the stuff we've been through in the last couple of
years. Whether it be the violence in
our city, the the violence in our dating, the visor is all
violence and it's all stemming from, everybody's lack of
African. Find a general like this in
general, right? I find people Pilar just harder
if that makes sense and on edge. Yeah, they're not haven't
management. And I tell you, it's challenging
for sure. It's just the way that people
are right now. The managing people right now,
do get offended by everything. They also think they can act any
sort of way. There's no moral compass
anymore. There's a lack of common sense.
It's definitely challenging times.
Well, and the thing is too, if you look at crime in general,
who is really mentally. Well, when they commit a crime
really, who is right? Of course, criminals, they
commit crimes because most of them, they don't have strongly
good. Their mental health is not good.
Whether it be someone, you know, committing a crime of passion in
the moment or whether it be, someone committing, a
pre-planned, you know, stabbing or shooting or something.
These people, yes, mabini State of Mind.
Of course, of course, they they're struggling, but that
does not give them a be accountability, is not is not
there. Yeah.
And that's also it's like everyone's num2 things going on.
It's I appreciate you guys coming to my podcast.
Maybe next time we can do something with more fun
light-hearted. Maybe I could talk about online
dating. I'd love to talk with out with
you guys because I think I would be findings.
Like, I got some crazy stories. No, definitely online.
Like a star. Online dating.
I have enough to fill two books. Oh, just some of my own
experiences alone. Yep, oh, yeah.
No. I have some crazy stories to
like, I've been catfished. I owe, you know, then it's where
your life's not complete, if you haven't been catfished, so it's
okay. Yeah.
I know that's a whole crazy phenomenal because he was
Wonder, like, how long do they think they're going to get this
going for? Oh, God.
And there are they have put in some heavy-duty background work,
because there are some people who have their I've watched some
Mentor. He's words like this person is
created like 80 different accounts, you know?
And it's like the time I am so envious of the time that these
people must have, like, where are you living with that?
Yeah, very much for having us on with you Mark, we're that.
Yeah. Thanks so much Mark.
Always. Great combo.
So it sounds great, do it again for you guys.
Yeah, you see out there. Okay, you to work.
Yeah, you take care. Bye bye.