Police in the Outaouais are probing sexual assault allegations from party goers who attended the ‘Spookland’ Halloween party in Cantley, Quebec on Friday night.
Police say they received complaints that were sexual in nature from at least three people.
Police say about 1000 young people attended the Halloween party.
According to the event’s Facebook page, the party was intended for students ages 16 to 21, and featured five DJs, three dance floors, and a licensed area for those eighteen-years-old and over.
But some attendees say kids as young as 14 were in attendance.
MRC des Collines police say at the same party, held at the Mont Cascades ski resort, twelve people were transported to hospital by ambulance for suffering from alcohol poisoning or possibly taking drugs.
Police say of those twelve, almost all of them were minors.
Police say the event’s organizers recruited party goers at Ottawa schools, and invited minors.
Buses from across Ottawa and the surrounding area, including Perth, Kemptville and Carleton Place transported party goers to and from the event, about half an hour outside of downtown Ottawa.
Some party goers told CTV Ottawa the event was overly packed and that some attendees were drinking on the buses on the way to the event.
They allege some people at the party were passed out, vomiting, fighting, pushing, and doing drugs in the washrooms.
“I noticed fire trucks and around 10 ambulances throughout the night,” said one person who was at the event. “Also I saw from upstairs people getting into ambulances.”
Police say people had to be kicked out of the premises due to overcrowding.
In a statement provided to CTV Ottawa Saturday afternoon, the event organizers “I’m with the DJ” said, “a few students arrived heavily intoxicated by unknown substances. They had somehow behaved well enough to make it onto the buses, but upon arrival, were found to be seriously unwell.”
Organizers said at that point, event staff summoned onsite paramedics so the students could be safely and properly taken care of.
“There were indeed some challenges and delays to having attendees enter the venue; unintended wait times understandably frustrated some attendees,” the organizers said in the statement. “This was due to thorough screening at the door by qualified security personnel to ensure nothing inappropriate was brought into the venue.”
Organizers say otherwise, the event went off without any incident.
“Local law enforcement officials were notified well in advance of the event and various branches were onsite to observe and advise. We were not over capacity or disorganized. We regret any perception and misinformation that we in any way tolerated contravention of the event rules or of our zero tolerance policy on underage drinking and no drugs or paraphernalia.”
Organizers say it was the third annual Halloween event they’d held.
Police are still investigating, and asking anyone with information about the event or the alleged sexual assaults to contact them.
Police said further details on the investigation would be released on Monday.