One month after an arsonist set fire to 13 vehicles in Edmonton’s Whyte Avenue area, the hectic night is set to live on — on a t-shirt.
“It’s kind of like what you would see on a movie poster or a DVD case,” said Jason Blower, an Edmonton illustrator who got to work brainstorming ideas in the days following the fiery incident.
On April 12, people along 104 Street north of Whyte Avenue watched a man using a jerrycan to light vehicles on fire.
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Police confirmed 13 vehicles were damaged, but no injuries were reported.
“For about two weeks, I kind of sat around with the idea kind of mulling around in my brain,” Blower said.
“Then I kind of collected some images for inspiration — and what videos I could — and then I kind of sketched up some stuff.”
The shirt plays on the Hawaii Five-0 television series, with particular attention paid to the two men who have become known as “Hawaiian Shirt Guy” and “Two-by-four Guy.”
The two bystanders helped tackle the suspect inside the Starbucks at the corner of Whyte and 104th, while they waited for Edmonton police to arrive.
“It’s the fact that they were kind of really unusual characters — [of] which we have a few in the city — and that they just stepped up, right? A lot of people would be scared — probably myself included … the guy was pretty out of control,” Blower said.
Proceeds from the shirt will go to the mental health organization We All Believe in You. Blower will take pre-orders for the tribute shirt until the end of May.
Malice Sutton, 22, faces several charges, including 11 counts of arson to property of others and assault with a weapon.