VANCOUVER — An altercation in Vancouver's entertainment district in August that left a 28-year-old woman dead has resulted a criminal charge.
Vancouver police say 29-year-old Samantha Doolan has been charged with manslaughter.
The victim, Lauren McLellan, suffered severe head trauma and died several hours after being attacked in front of the Caprice Nightclub on Aug. 11.
Sgt. Brian Montague says the women got into a verbal altercation inside the nightclub shortly before 2 a.m.
Police allege Doolan then assaulted McLellan outside the club, causing her to fall to the ground, and continued attacking her until the club's bouncers pulled her off.
Montague says Doolan was taken into police custody Friday morning.
"I think it's important for everyone to realize that one punch can result in someone hitting their head, that minor assaults can have grave consequences," he says.
He says the lives of the victim's friends and family are forever changed.
"The life of this 29-year-old suspect is also forever changed because of some very poor decisions that she made."
Montague says police will not reveal the cause of the initial conflict between the two women until the matter is in front of the courts.
He did say that alcohol was a factor and that the victim and suspect had no relationship prior to the incident.
Witnesses at the scene told police Doolan and another woman left the area by taxi immediately after the attack.
The women were found getting out of a taxi 30 minutes later by police and taken into custody for questioning but Montague says at the time there was not enough evidence to result in charges.
He says no other charges are expected.
