North Vancouver RCMP have identified four suspects in last week’s egging that left a Canyon Heights teen seriously injured, and will soon be seeking charges.
As he walked home on Highland Boulevard Aug. 21, someone inside a black SUV that drove by threw an egg at 13-year-old Matthys van Bylandt, hitting him directly in the eye. The broken egg shell made lacerations across his sclera, cornea and iris and resulted in bleeding inside his pupil.
“Due to the response by media exposing the story, lots of social media and information being sent out, one of (the suspects) came forward. From there, we were able to identify everybody. The vehicle was identified,” said Cpl. Richard De Jong, North Vancouver RCMP spokesman. “Now we’re putting all the pieces together and submitting a report to Crown counsel for consideration of charges.”
Three of the four suspects are 18. One is 17. All of them are North Vancouver residents.
They’ve shown varying degrees of co-operation with the investigation, De Jong said.
Police will be recommending the Crown lay charges of assault causing bodily harm, although he could not say how many of the teens they’ll be seeking those charges for.
“Right now we’re just really focusing on getting all the evidence in and getting witness statements,” he said.
It will be up to the Crown whether to lay the charges or whether the case should be diverted out of the court system through restorative justice. Those decisions typically look at past criminal behaviour and the impact on the victim.
In the meantime, Matthys’s family is hopeful he’ll make a full recovery and not lose vision in his eye.
“He’s resting at home as per doctors’ strict directions,” De Jong said. “He’s got great support from his family and from his friends, and I think that makes a big difference.”
Police are still looking for other witnesses to come forward, including a Good Samaritan driving a white vehicle who stopped and offered to help Matthys.
Anyone with information about the case is asked to contact North Vancouver RCMP on the non-emergency line, 604-985-1311.
