WINDFALL

Brawl Sends Cash Spraying Across Parking Lot, Say Witnesses

It was a green Christmas for some last minute shoppers in Prince
George.

In an incident seen more in Hollywood films than real life, a spray
of cash went blowing across the Pine Centre Mall parking lot and some
blood was spilled after a suspected drug altercation went bad on the
afternoon of Christmas Eve.

When police arrived they made almost a dozen arrests, spoke to other
persons of interest, took one to hospital suffering from a stab wound
to the belly, and heard from witnesses about a blizzard of cash. All
three of the city's established organized crime gangs were in the
vicinity at the time.

"Witnesses advised that as many as 10 men were fighting, some with
knives," said Prince George RCMP Staff Sgt. Tom Bethune. "Witnesses
further advised that $100 bills were flying in the air as the men
brawled."

"Four males were arrested in the parking lot near the Sears, then
seven others were tracked down by other officers a short distance
away," said RCMP Staff Sgt. Jeff McArthur. "The stabbing victim, a
23-year-old Prince George man, is not co-operating with police, nor
are the others involved."

McArthur added that "we are continuing to investigate the notion that
this altercation began as a dispute amongst rival cocaine dealers."

Bethune added credence to that. "The Prince George leader of the gang
known as the Independent Soldiers was arrested along with two of his
fellow gang members," he said. "A member of another gang known as
The Crew...was also arrested. A colour wearing member of the outlaw
motorcycle gang known as The Renegades was interviewed near the scene
but not arrested."

In spite of the wad of money that blew away, a large quantity of cash
was seized from the possession of some of the suspects.

The injured man's cut was "a superficial knife wound," McArthur
said.

This incident is still being investigated by police even though all
suspects were released unconditionally not long after the brawl and
cash scramble.