Two men arrested following death of Irish man (24) in Vancouver hit-and-run

The victim, a 24-year-old Irish man, and his friend were crossing Arbutus Street in the Kitsilano neighbourhood of Vancouver around 11.30pm on Sunday when he was struck by a grey sedan.

Vancouver Police Department (VPD) say the vehicle “appeared to be travelling at high speeds” and the driver did not stop. The victim died at the scene.

On Tuesday evening, VPD spokespeople confirmed two men had been arrested as part of their investigations into the death.

“We asked for help to solve this crime, and after receiving significant information from the public, VPD officers identified the suspected driver and arrested him yesterday at his home in Vancouver for the fatal hit-and-run,” Sgt. Steve Addison said in a release on Tuesday.

“We also arrested one of the driver’s family members and are investigating whether that person acted as an accomplice after the fatal collision.”

The alleged driver and family member were taken into custody on Monday, police confirmed. Charges have not yet been approved and the investigation is ongoing.

In a statement, a spokesperson for the VPD’s Collision Investigation Unit said investigators “spent the night collecting evidence from the crime scene and have spoken to a number of witnesses”.

“Anyone who has not yet come forward is asked to contact investigators right away.”

They believe the vehicle was travelling east on 4th Avenue before the man was struck and may have a damaged front end.

They are looking for surveillance video or dash cam video from the area.

A spokesman for the Department of Foreign Affairs said it is “aware of the case and is providing consular assistance”.

“As with all consular cases, the Department does not comment on the details of any specific case,” he said.