Kamloops, British Columbia – A man in Kamloops pleaded guilty to a serious assault charge related to a swarming incident that occurred last year at a local homeless shelter, resulting in the victim being stabbed in the neck. Tyson Ian Bormke, 25, entered his guilty plea in Kamloops provincial court on Monday for one count of assault causing bodily harm. The incident took place at the Merit Place shelter on Notre Dame Drive in February 2024.
Court proceedings revealed that Bormke was one of five men charged in connection to the attack, which was captured on surveillance video. The victim was chased by two men before being surrounded and beaten, with one of the attackers stabbing him in the neck. Bormke then delivered a kick to the victim’s head area before stepping back and observing the altercation from a distance.
Among the other individuals involved in the swarming, John Ryder Larsen and Branden Michael Allenback have already pleaded guilty to assault charges and received their sentences. Larsen received nine months in jail, while Allenback was sentenced to five months. Two other men, Zachary Chase Pittman and Tristan Alan Olson, still face charges in relation to the incident.
Legal proceedings will continue as lawyers reconvene on April 7 to schedule a sentencing date for Bormke. The Merit Place shelter, located within the former Greyhound terminal on Notre Dame Drive, serves as a vital resource for individuals experiencing homelessness in the Kamloops area.