by A college hockey star has been suspended from his team after he was caught on video allegedly pushing a wheelchair down a flight of stairs.
Mercyhurst University student Carson Briere, the son of former NHL player Daniel Briere, is said to have pushed a double amputee’s wheelchair down the stairs of a bar on Saturday. His actions sparked outrage on Twitter after user Julia Zukowski posted a video of the incident.
In surveillance camera footage at Sullivan’s Pub in Erie, Pennsylvania, a man believed to be Mr. Briere is seen walking up the stairs with two other men before noticing the wheelchair parked above. One of the characters motions to the chair before they go onto the dance floor.
Mr Briere then briefly sat in the chair and allegedly pushed it down with the help of another man. The video was posted on Tuesday and quickly went viral, with more than 32 million views and nearly 100,000 likes.
On Wednesday, Mercyhurst University said in a statement that Mr Briere, 23, and two other students have been provisionally suspended from their sports teams pending a law enforcement inquiry into the incident.
Sydney Benes – the woman whose wheelchair was damaged – needs the chair to move around while she learns to use her prosthetic limbs, according to a GoFundMe page created to help cover repair costs. The fundraiser organizer said he personally carried Ms. Benes downstairs to the bathroom when the bar was built, before ADA compliances were enacted.
More than $8,800 was raised, with Ms Benes reportedly wanting to allocate some of that money to “help others who are in need and are in similar situations.”
Mr Briere and his father have apologized after the incident.
“I am deeply sorry for my behavior on Saturday. There is no excuse for my actions and I will do whatever it takes to make up for this serious lack of judgement,” the 23-year-old told ESPN in a statement.
Daniel Briere, the Philadelphia Flyers’ interim general manager, also said, “I was shocked to see Carson’s actions in the video that was shared on social media yesterday.
“They are inexcusable and totally go against our family’s values of treating people with respect. Carson is deeply sorry and takes full responsibility for his behavior.”
Sydney Benes – the woman whose wheelchair was damaged – needs the chair to move around while she learns to use her prosthetic limbs, according to a GoFundMe page created to help cover repair costs
(GoFundMe/Nathaniel Sanders)
The Erie Police Department is currently investigating the incident. Meanwhile, Mercyhurst said the hockey player’s actions did not reflect the school’s values.
“We pray for and stand in solidarity with the victim and all people with disabilities who rightly find actions like this deeply offensive,” Mercyhurst said in a statement to ESPN.
“Our Mercy tradition also reminds us that students and all people who make bad decisions deserve opportunities to learn, change behaviors and atone for harmful actions.”
Prior to joining the Mercyhurst ice hockey team, Mr. Briere was reportedly released from the Arizona State men’s ice hockey team in 2019
(Mercyhurst University)
Before joining the Mercyhurst ice hockey team, Mr. Briere was fired from the Arizona State men’s ice hockey team in 2019 for “clear violation of team rules,” a source told ESPN. The dismissal was not due to any specific incident but to Mr Briere’s overall conduct.
Mr. Briere told College Hockey News in 2021 that his “party” was the reason for his sacking.
