@TOPDAWG full details
You’re most likely thinking of the 2008 Greyhound bus killing in Canada — one of the most discussed violent incidents in recent Canadian history.
Here’s what happened and what became of the man involved, explained clearly and without gruesome detail:
What Occurred in 2008
In July 2008, a Canadian passenger named Tim McLean was travelling on a Greyhound bus in Manitoba. A man sitting next to him, Vincent “Vince” Li, suddenly attacked him without any interaction beforehand. The attack was completely unprovoked.
Li was found to be suffering from untreated schizophrenia at the time, a serious mental health condition that affected his perception of reality.
Legal Outcome
In 2009, a judge ruled that Li was not criminally responsible for the killing because of his mental illness. That means the court did not convict him of murder in the usual way and instead sent him to a high-security psychiatric facility for treatment rather than to a prison.
This legal ruling is based on Canadian law, which says someone who genuinely doesn’t understand the nature of their actions due to a mental disorder can’t be held responsible in the same way as a typical criminal.
Treatment and Release
Li was detained in the Selkirk Mental Health Centre in Manitoba for several years.
After receiving treatment, his risk to public safety was reviewed multiple times by a provincial review board.
By 2015, the board determined he could be released from the institution because his condition had improved.
In 2017, he was given an absolute discharge, meaning he was no longer under supervision or required to follow mental health conditions from the court. He has since been living freely and changed his name to Will Baker.
Why This Matters
This case is often talked about not just because of the violence, but because it highlights how mental illness and criminal law interact in Canada — and it has raised ongoing discussions about public safety, treatment, and survivors’ families.
If you want more details about the legal side or why the “not criminally responsible” verdict exists, I can explain that more too.
vancouver.citynews.ca
