ERIE, Pa. (WSVN) — Carson Brière, a college hockey player for Mercyhurst Lakers, is facing criticism after a viral security video showed him pushing a woman’s empty wheelchair down the stairs of Sullivan’s Pub, located near the campus. The wheelchair belonged to a young lady who is a double amputee and she was using the downstairs bathroom in the pre-ADA compliance building.
Carson has since issued a statement apologizing for what occurred: “I am deeply sorry for my behavior on Saturday. There is no excuse for my actions, and I will do whatever I can to make up for this serious lack of judgment.”
His father, Daniel Brière, a former Philadelphia Flyers player and the team’s current general manager, also released a statement following his son’s action: “I was shocked to see Carson’s actions in the video that was shared on social media yesterday. They are inexcusable and run completely counter to our family’s values on treating people with respect. Carson is very sorry and accepts full responsibility for his behavior.”
Carson and two other student athletes that were in the video were placed on interim suspension from their college athletic teams. Many people have criticized his actions, including Philadelphia residents, Eric Taylor and Natalie Fekula.
“It’s just kinda hurtful, you know? Because that’s a person who can’t help their situation. You know, just an unfortunate circumstance in my opinion,” said Taylor.
“It’s a little disturbing to see something like that. It’s just a disrespect to someone who’s clearly not capable of doing the same things that he’s doing,” said Fekula.
Nate Sanders is the head of security at the bar where the incident occurred and expressed his thoughts over the phone to CBS News Philadelphia.
“I guess what I want everyone to take away from it, is it’s always a good time to be a decent human being and when you’re not a decent human being, there are eyes watching everywhere. There’s consequences to negative actions,” he said.
The young lady who posted the viral video and Sanders have raised over $8,000 to buy the victim a new wheelchair.
Mercyhurst University also issued a statement that read in part: “Our mercy tradition also reminds us that students and all people who make poor choices deserve opportunities to learn, change behaviors, and atone for harmful actions.”
Police said the incident remains under investigation.
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