Peel Regional Police are still trying to identify the key figures in a jaw-dropping on ice brawl at a hockey tournament last week.
The violence erupted after the end of a midget game at Mississauga's Iceland on Wednesday night. Players threw punches and wrestled each other to the ice but it's the actions of someone not wearing uniform that police are especially interested in.
In a video of the brawl shared on social media, a man wearing a scarf with one of the team's colours walks onto the ice and swings a hockey stick at players.
Const. Harinder Sohi says the man hit three kids.
Sohi says police are working closely with the president of the Little Native Hockey League (LNHL), which organized the tournament, to identify the teenage victims and the stick-swinging adult. Police couldn't explain why the identification of players in particular wasn't moving more quickly since they were wearing sweaters with numbers on the back.
Police want to talk to the players and hockey stick-swinging adult before they will say for sure if charges will be laid.
"There's a definite possibility of charges," Sohi said Monday.
LNHL President Marian Jacko turned down NEWSTALK 1010's request for an interview Monday and pointed instead to a statement by the league's executive.
With 227 teams participating in over 550 games, it is regrettable and most unfortunate what occurred between the two teams. The LNHL 4 pillars are sportsmanship, citizenship, education and respect. We can assure you that the LNHL Executive is taking this matter extremely seriously and we will be meeting to further discuss disciplinary action. We are not in a position to comment on any investigations that the police may or may not be conducting.
Aside from this occurrence, the LNHL tournament has been a huge success with 15 "A" championship games played on Thursday March 14, 2019 resulting in a very position experience for Ontario First Nation children, youth and communities. For the vast majority of teams, the experience was positive and families and community members celebrated together in spirit of the four pillars of the LNHL.
Meegwetch
LNHL Executive