QUEBEC CITY – Quebec City police briefly detained a man in connection with the death of a 19-year-old who was crushed by a boxing arcade game at the P’tite Grenouille bar.
“It’s possible to push it,” said Melissa Cliche, a spokesperson for Quebec City Police.
The suspect met with investigators and was released under a promise to appear in court, police said in a statement Friday.
Authorities said the man in his early 20s could face a charge of criminal negligence causing death and that the file has been submitted to the Crown for study.
The victim died after the punching bag video game fell on him at a Quebec City bar early Thursday.
He was found with a head wound and was later declared dead in hospital.
“I heard that somebody was [hanging] onto the punching machine and [it] just fell on him,” reported witness Chad Coté.
“The next thing I know they stopped the music and everything and asked everybody to go out.”
Police are investigating whether the machine was toppled by another client and have asked any witnesses to come forward.
A Facebook post by the bar’s management suggested one customer may have gripped the machine while another pushed it, causing it to fall onto the victim.
The machine in question allows patrons to hit a punching bag as hard as possible to gauge their strength.
According to companies that sell such games, the machines weigh more than 180 kilograms.
The name of the victim is not being released at this time.
* with files from The Canadian Press
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