Two people have now been charged in connection with a violent assault on Dallas Road over the weekend that left three people injured.

The incident occurred on the night of July 3rd near Beacon Hill Park.

One of the accused, 20-year-old Hussein Saadedeen, has been charged with aggravated assault and two counts of assault with a weapon.

The second accused is a youth whose identity is protected under the law. They face charges of aggravated assault, two counts of assault with a weapon and carrying a concealed weapon.

According to VicPD, officers responded just after 10 p.m. to reports of a confrontation involving multiple people.

Three people suffered non-life-threatening injuries, with two transported to hospital before later being released. Both suspects were arrested at the scene.

Victoria Buzz previously spoke with a member of the group that was attacked. For the purposes of this article, she will be identified only by her first name, Abigail, due to safety concerns.

Abigail said approximately 25 friends had gathered at Dallas Road for what she described as a relaxed evening when a separate group of about 10 young men began watching them from a nearby hill.

She said the confrontation escalated near the Mile Zero monument after one of the men allegedly approached her group with a knife before another suspect allegedly produced what appeared to be a machete.

One member of Abigail’s group suffered a serious hand injury requiring surgery, while two others were also injured during the attack.

Abigail said neither she nor anyone else in her group recognized the suspects or had any previous interaction with them before the incident.

VicPD says the investigation remains ongoing and both suspects have been remanded in custody.

Anyone with information who has not yet spoken with investigators is asked to contact the E-Comm non-emergency line at (250) 995-7654 and reference file number 26-27379.

A family from Calgary, Alberta is currently in Victoria in an effort to honour their deceased son who passed away in early June of brain cancer. 

Easton Beatch was 12 years old when he passed, and had been battling cancer for three years up to that point. 

He was an avid bird watcher and had previously visited Victoria while sick in an effort to complete a ‘Big Year’ in birding by seeing 250 species of bird. 

Easton and his mother came out to Greater Victoria to complete this goal at the end of the year when he was stuck at 240 in December 2025. 

“We flew out to Victoria for the weekend to try and achieve his goal in between radiation treatments,” said Amanda Moppett-Beatch, Easton’s mother. 

“We reached out to the local Victoria bird watching group and were floored with the response. So many tips, so much support, local birders came out to help us and Easton achieved his goal quickly and ended up with 261 birds last year.”

She noted the family even had a book made to honor her son’s achievement, Easton’s Big Year of 2025.

After finding success in birding around Victoria, Easton was determined to return and bring along his father Jeff and sister Ellie. 

Amanda says her son wanted to show them his favourite spots to see birds, including Esquimalt Lagoon, Clover Point, Beacon Hill Park. 

Unfortunately, the family was unable to return after Easton’s health took a turn for the worse in March. 

“As he unfortunately passed away in our arms, Easton’s sister Ellie promised him she’d finish his ‘Big Year’ for him,” Amanda explained. 

Before he passed, Easton had set an ambitious goal of seeing 300 species of birds throughout 2026. At the time of his death, he had seen 136 bird species, and now his family is continuing his efforts as a way to honour his memory and love of birding. 

“Ellie said in her Eulogy speech ‘that’s a lot of birds to see,’ but we are all determined to continue to look for the birds, see Easton in the birds, and find joy and memories as we do so,” Amanda continued. 

“We are now at 147 birds.”

The family is going to be in Victoria until Tuesday, July 7th to bird watch around the capital region and hope that will get them nearer to their goal of 300 while also remembering their son and brother.

As more people head to Vancouver Island’s lakes, rivers and beaches this summer, Island Health is reminding the public that drowning rarely looks the way it’s portrayed in movies.

Health officials say many people expect someone who is drowning to splash, yell or wave for help. In reality, drowning is often silent and can happen in less than a minute, making it easy for friends, family and even nearby swimmers to miss the warning signs.

“Drowning rarely looks dramatic like it does on TV and in the movies. It can be quiet, fast and easy to miss,” said Lenea Grace, executive director of the Lifesaving Society BC & Yukon.

“People often don’t realize that someone in trouble may not be able to wave or shout for help. Knowing the signs to watch for can save a life.”

Instead of calling out, someone who is drowning may only gasp for air, cough or breathe irregularly while remaining almost motionless in the water.

Their body is often upright, with their mouth barely above the surface and their head low in the water as they struggle to stay afloat.

The reminder comes as thousands of people are expected to flock to Vancouver Island waterways during the warm summer weather.

Although accidental drowning deaths declined across the Island Health region last year, 17 people still lost their lives in 2025, according to the BC Coroners Service. Nine of those deaths occurred in the central Vancouver Island region, including seven on the Cowichan River.

Officials note that fatal drownings are only part of the picture. For every drowning death, there are at least three non-fatal drowning incidents, many of which can result in permanent brain injuries caused by a lack of oxygen.

“Almost every drowning is preventable,” said Dr. Melissa Wan, medical health officer, Island Health.

“There is no single fix, but layers of protection work together: knowing how to swim, wearing a lifejacket, swimming with others, and learning the skills to help someone in trouble. As a community, the more of those layers we put in place, the more lives we protect this summer.”

Island Health is encouraging anyone spending time around water to always swim with a buddy, keep children within arm’s reach, choose lifeguard-supervised beaches when possible and avoid mixing alcohol or drugs with water activities.

Officials also recommend wearing a properly fitted lifejacket whenever appropriate, noting that adults who wear one are more likely to encourage children and others to do the same.

The historic Belleville House, located at 327 Belleville Street, has officially reopened after undergoing a 10-month heritage restoration. 

Following the restoration, Huntingdon Hotel & Suites is once again welcoming guests to Belleville House, offering eight unique rooms.

Belleville House was originally built in 1877 as the private residence of Alexander Blair Gray. 

Gray was an early settler and colonist of Victoria. Here, he established a general goods store called A.B. Gray and Company, located on the corner of what is now Bastion Square and Wharf Street. 

He later served as Justice of the Peace in the growing colonial capital and built his grand residence which would become one of Victoria’s most admired homes.

Throughout the restoration of Belleville House, Huntingdon tried to recapture the era’s air of optimism and prosperity. 

The project focused on maintaining the property’s historic character while modernizing the guest experience. 

Huntingdon says that original architectural features were restored wherever possible, the historic gardens on the site were revitalized and the home’s timelessness was carefully preserved.

“Our vision from the beginning was never simply to renovate a building,” said Erin Cassels, the property’s General Manager, 

“It was to respectfully restore an important piece of Victoria’s history. Every decision was made with the goal of preserving the craftsmanship, charm and heritage that make this property so special while creating a memorable boutique experience for today’s travelers.”

According to the hotel company, one of the most exciting discoveries during construction came when the team uncovered the home’s original stained-glass dome, which had been hidden for decades. 

The dome has also now been fully restored and is once again one of Belleville House’s most distinctive architectural centrepieces.

“Working on Belleville House in our design+build capacity has been a rare privilege because every aspect holds a piece of the building’s story,” said Ann Squire-Ferguson, owner of Western Design Build, one of the trades companies involved in the restoration.

“Discovering hidden heritage details from 1877, like the gold-leaf dome, original deeply detailed architectural trim, and wood-burnings [sic] fireplaces, has been incredibly rewarding. The challenge has been just as significant: carefully weaving 150 years of history together with today’s building standards, technology and the needs of a modern hotel.”

Belleville House is now accepting reservations, joining Huntingdon Hotel & Suites and Pendray Inn & Tea House as part of the Huntingdon Hotel hospitality collection. 

Rooms at Belleville House start at around $470 per night.

The Maritime Museum of BC (MMBC) has unveiled a redesigned version of their online archival database on the historical maritime records of the province and beyond. 

What started on paper index cards over 50 years ago is now one of the largest digital collections in the world. 

The MMBC’s database is called ‘Nauticapedia’ and is accessible to anyone looking to learn more about maritime history. 

Nauticapedia was first launched in September 2025, but over the last year has been rebuilt from the ground up to make it easier to navigate and learn. 

“The old website was over two decades old, which is practically the ‘carboniferous period’ in internet development,” said John MacFarlane, founder of Nauticapedia. 

“The Maritime Museum of BC and our sponsors have completely transformed our operating model. Where we once added two or three thousand records in a year, we are now updating that many each month.”

He added that this leap forward has established MMBC as a national leader in heritage preservation.

Nauticapedia features searchable entries for more than 100,000 vessels and 58,000 biographical overviews. 

The platform also houses nearly 2,000 long-form historical stories on everything from local shipbuilders to deep naval history. 

Furthermore, Nauticapedia features a new interactive voyage-tracking map that allows users to see individual vessels’ travels across more than a century of sea travel. This shows users exactly where ships were built, sailed and lost. 

Another fun feature allows users to click the “Random Vessel” button beside the search bar to be shown the historic data, photos and timeline of a random entry to the database. 

“Nauticapedia allows us to break down barriers to local and global history,” said Brittany Vis, executive director of the MMBC. 

“By providing such an extensive, growing database free to anyone with an internet connection, we are fulfilling our core mission of accessibility. John has given the public an incredible gift, and we are thrilled to host it in a format that is modern, intuitive, and available to researchers worldwide.” 

According to the MMBC, by the fifth day of the soft launch, the site recorded over 20,000 unique visitors coming from over 100 countries. 

This jump in impressions has reportedly inspired a new wave of historical donations, with the public offering photos, documents and physical artifacts to the museum’s archives.

The MMBC invites members of the public, whether they are from BC or beyond, to explore the new platform and track over a century of maritime voyages through Nauticapedia.

We hope you had a great Canada Day, Victoria!

It’s a great time to live in this city—the last few weeks have been filled with fun events, from TD JazzFest and Victoria Ska & Reggae Festival to Canada Day and the Memorial Drag Ball Game.

And the summer fun is just getting started!

Check out some local music at the Westshore Town Centre’s Summer Music Series, Cridge Park or Pinhalla, hit the Esquimalt Farmers Market or visit the Talent Show Social at the Roxy Theatre for their anniversary celebration.

Whatever atmosphere you’re looking for, Victoria’s got something going on for you. Make sure to get out and experience the best time of year in Victoria!

Here are 5 things to do in and around Victoria this Thursday, July 2nd:

Notes of Pride at Cridge Park

Celebrate queer talent at Victoria Downtown Resident Association’s first free concert of the summer!

This unofficial concert for the Pride Festival will take place in small but beautiful Cridge Park, beside the lawn bowling club at Blanshard Street and Belleville Street.

The concert will feature live, bicycle-powered music by Zofah and Finley Rose, and poetry by Wilder Simpson.

Invite your friends, grab a blanket or a lawn chair, and bring along a picnic!

• Where: Cridge Park, 720 Belleville Street
• When: Thursday, July 2nd – 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Iminah Kani at the Westshore Town Centre Summer Music Series

The Westshore Town Centre’s Summer Music Series is here!

This will be the second of the series, with Iminah Kani performing some Flamenco on the guitar.

These events are going to be happening every Thursday evening at the Westshore Town Centre, on the pathway behind the RBC.

Soak up some summer atmosphere and grab some take-out from one of the many local restaurants!

These events are free and everyone is welcome to attend.

• Where: Westshore Town Centre, 2945 Jacklin Road – in the pathway behind RBC.
• When: Thursday, July 2nd – 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.

Esquimalt Farmers Market

This food-first market is a foodie’s dream!

Peruse an amazing selection of local businesses, pick up a delicious dinner from a hot food vendor and enjoy twice nightly musical performances while the kids run wild in the onsite playground.

In addition to food, there will be a fantastic selection of artisans and crafters yielding everything from soap to hand-printed tea towels, clothing, jewellery and more.

The weekly vendor map will be posted on the Esquimalt Market website so you can see who will be there each week and plan your trips.

Parking is limited at this location so organizers recommend walking, using transit (#15 or #26 bus) or riding your bicycle.

• Where: Memorial Park, 1200 Esquimalt Road
• When: Thursday, July 2nd – 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

The Phigs, Jacob Leger and Jackson Walker at Pinhalla 

Head down to Pinhalla and celebrate the beginning of summer!

They’ve got lively folky and funky tunes to make you laugh, cry and dance the night away.

The Phigs, Jacob Leger and Jackson Walker are all premier local Victoria music acts, with funky vibes that will have you dancing all night long, as long as you’re not stuck to the pinball machines!

Tickets are $15.80 and can be purchased here.

• Where: Pinhalla Pinball Pizzeria, 516 Fisgard Street
• When: Thursday, July 2nd – 7 p.m.

Talent Show Social: Fan Favourites Edition at the Roxy Theatre

The Roxy’s Talent Show Social turns one! They’ll be celebrating with their biggest showcase yet.

Join them for a special three-hour anniversary spectacular featuring a lineup of fan-favourite performers who have helped make the past year unforgettable.

Over the last year, the Talent Show Social has become a place for musicians, performers, comedians, artists and audiences to come together and create something truly special.

To mark the occasion, they’re bringing back some of the most memorable acts to take the Roxy’s stage for one incredible night of live entertainment, community and celebration.

Expect an evening filled with outstanding performances, unforgettable moments and the electric atmosphere that has made these events such a beloved part of The Roxy experience.

Tickets are only $9.80 and can be purchased here.

• Where: The Roxy Theatre, 2657 Quadra Street
• When: Thursday, July 2nd – 6:30 p.m.

A pedestrian was taken to hospital with serious injuries after being struck by a vehicle near Cook Street and Caledonia Avenue early Tuesday morning.

According to VicPD, officers were called to the area at approximately 1:26 a.m. on June 30th following a report of a pedestrian who had been hit by a motor vehicle.

Police say the collision is believed to have occurred about 30 minutes before officers were notified. The incident was initially dispatched to BC Emergency Health Services as a medical assistance call before it was determined the injuries were the result of a collision.

The pedestrian was transported to hospital by paramedics in serious condition.

Cook Street was temporarily closed between North Park Street and Caledonia Avenue while investigators examined the scene. The roadway has since reopened.

VicPD’s Traffic Analysts and Major Crime Unit detectives are investigating the circumstances surrounding the collision.

Police are asking anyone who witnessed the incident or who has CCTV or dashcam footage from the area around the time of the crash to contact the E-Comm non-emergency line at (250) 995-7654, and reference file 2026-26746.

Two teenagers were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries after being struck by a vehicle while using a marked crosswalk in Nanaimo over the weekend.

The collision happened just before 5 p.m. on Sunday, June 28th, at the intersection of Departure Bay Road and Bay Street.

Nanaimo RCMP, Nanaimo Fire Rescue and BC Emergency Health Services responded to the scene after a newer-model Ford Mustang struck two youths, aged 13 and 16, who were crossing the road.

Both teens were treated at the scene before being transported to hospital for further treatment.

The 40-year-old driver remained at the scene and fully cooperated with police.

After speaking with the driver, the two youths and several witnesses, officers determined that driver inattention was a contributing factor in the crash.

Police said speed, alcohol and drugs were ruled out as factors.

The driver was issued a violation ticket for failing to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk.

The incident has prompted RCMP to remind motorists to stay focused behind the wheel and remain alert when approaching intersections.

“Pedestrian safety is a shared responsibility. Drivers should reduce distractions, scan intersections carefully,” said Inspector Donovan Tait, Operations Officer for the Nanaimo RCMP.

“And be prepared to stop when approaching marked and unmarked crosswalks,” he added.

Police added that even a brief distraction, such as glancing at a phone to check a message, can have serious consequences and are urging drivers to keep their attention on the road to help prevent similar incidents.