Carson Briere allegedly shoved wheelchair down steps in disturbing video

Publish date: 2024-05-03

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The son of former NHL player and interim Flyers GM Daniel Briere is accused of pushing an unoccupied wheelchair down the stairs at a bar in a disturbing surveillance video.

On Thursday, Twitter user Julia Zukowski (@juliazukowski) shared the footage and accused Mercyhurst University men’s hockey center Carson Briere of the alleged act.

“I am deeply sorry for my behavior on Saturday,” Briere, a junior at Mercyhurst, said in a statement. “There is no excuse for my actions, and I will do whatever I can to make up for this serious lack of judgment.”

On Wednesday, the school’s athletic department said Briere, as well as two other student-athletes in the video, were placed on interim suspension from their respective teams.

Zukowski claimed in a separate tweet that the occupant of the wheelchair had to be “physically carried” downstairs to use the bathroom.

“I was shocked to see Carson’s actions in the video that was shared on social media yesterday,” Daniel Briere said in a statement. “They are inexcusable and run completely counter to our family’s values of treating people with respect.

“Carson is very sorry and accepts full responsibility for his behavior.”

The chair was left on top of the stairs because she physically had to be carried down to use the restrooms. Which are only located downstairs

— julia (@juliazukowski) March 14, 2023
Carson Briere’s head shot for Mercyhurst University. Mercyhurst University

In a subsequent tweet, Zukowski identified Carson as “the guy in the white hat” in the security footage, which appears to be timestamped Saturday, March 11, at 11:37 PM.

Mercyhurst University — located in Pennsylvania — told the Daily Mail that an investigation into the incident was being taken over by the Erie Police Department.

In the video, the person in the white hat, allegedly Carson, appears to be sit in the wheelchair while talking with another individual, who was wearing a plaid shirt and backwards cap.

Carson Briere is accused of pushing an unoccupied wheelchair down the stairs at a bar on March 11, 2023. Twitter/Julia Zukowski (@juliazukowski)
Carson Briere is accused of pushing an unoccupied wheelchair down the stairs at a bar on March 11, 2023. Twitter/Julia Zukowski (@juliazukowski)

The person in plaid appears to then face the wheelchair in the direction of the stairwell before it was pushed down the stairs.

The school acknowledged the incident.

“Late this afternoon, Mercyhurst University became aware of a disturbing video in which one of our student-athletes is seen pushing an unoccupied wheelchair down a flight of stairs at a local establishment,” the school said in the statement on Thursday.

Carson Briere is accused of pushing an unoccupied wheelchair down the stairs at a bar on March 11, 2023. Twitter/Julia Zukowski (@juliazukowski)
Carson Briere is accused of pushing an unoccupied wheelchair down the stairs at a bar on March 11, 2023. Twitter/Julia Zukowski (@juliazukowski)

“I do personally know the person who owns the wheelchair,” Zukowski wrote. “They would like to remain anonymously until they can take legal action. I would never use this opportunity to scam anyone in any way.”

Zukhowski included a GoFundMe they started to help raise money for a new wheelchair.

Carson played 30 games for the Lakers in the 2022-23 season — totaling five goals and eight assists.

Mercyhurst University junior men’s hockey player Carson Briere. Mercyhurst University

The Philadelphia native is majoring in communications.

In 2019, Briere was dismissed from the men’s hockey team at Arizona State as a freshman for what the program said was a violation of team rules.

“I was just going out; I wasn’t taking hockey seriously,” Briere said of his time at ASU. “It wasn’t anything bad, it was just not being committed to hockey, I was more committed to having fun at school. Too much partying, that’s probably the best way to put it.”

Flyers right wing Danny Briere before a game between the Flyers Alumni and the Pittsburgh Penguins Alumni on Jan. 14, 2017, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, PA. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Former Philadelphia Flyer Daniel Briere looks on during a pre-game ceremony honoring his retirement from the NHL on Oct. 27, 2015 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NHLI via Getty Images

The elder Briere — who played 17 seasons in the NHL, including six with the Flyers and a Stanley Cup appearance with Philadelphia in 2010 — was named interim general manager of the team on Friday.

The former right winger replaced GM Chuck Fletcher, who was fired after five seasons.

Fletcher was also the team’s president of hockey operations.

Briere was hired as a special assistant to Fletcher in 2022.

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