Man who jumped into shark tank assault suspect
Nelson man filmed stripping, jumping into aquarium display
TORONTO (CP) — Police say a man who stunned patrons and staff at a popular Toronto aquarium when he stripped naked, hopped a security barrier and jumped into a large shark tank is wanted in connection with an earlier assault.
The man spent several minutes swimming in the tank with sand tiger sharks, sawfish and moray eels at Ripley’s Aquarium of Canada, located beside Toronto’s CN Tower, around 10:30 p.m. Friday as a crowd looked on.
Police say they are looking for David Weaver, 37, of Nelson, B.C., who is also wanted in connection with an alleged assault at another location earlier Friday that seriously injured a man.
At one point, according to officials and videos posted online, the man briefly paused his swim and appeared to be getting out at the urging of security guards. A moment later, he dove backwards into the tank as onlookers let out a cheer.
The aquarium said the man was with a woman when he entered and exited the facility, but left behind his jacket and T-shirt as he scrambled to leave before police officers arrived.
“It was premeditated and intentional,” aquarium general manager Peter Doyle said.
Doyle said the aquarium is “willing to press all appropriate charges.”
The facility’s surveillance footage shows the man and a woman bought tickets to the event at 10 p.m. and made their way directly to the “dangerous lagoon,” the 2.9 million-litre tank that is the centrepiece of the tourist attraction, Doyle said.
The man jumped into the pool at 10:26 p.m. and was out five minutes later, the general manager said.
“It seems crazy he’d spend $70 coming for 20 minutes,” Doyle said.