The man in an Hawaiian shirt hailed a hero on social media after chasing down an arsonist on Whyte Avenue in April has been identified.
In a Facebook post shared Wednesday evening, Jason Whiting of Videre Images identified the “Hawaiian Shirt Guy” as Bert Gibbs of Lloydminster, Alta.
Gibbs refuses any accolades and “it took some convincing” to get him to pose for some pictures, Whiting said, but he did finally agree.
On the evening of April 12, a video was posted of a man walking along 104th Street between 82nd and 83rd avenues pouring gasoline on vehicles and lighting them on fire.
The video also showed a man in an Hawaiian shirt chasing the suspect into a coffee shop, tackling him and subduing him until police arrive.
In his post, Whiting goes on to describe the events that led to Gibbs’s action.
Gibbs and his wife were eating dinner when someone commented about what was happening on the street and “that someone should do something,” Whiting said.
“Bert wasn’t on the street, he was in the middle of a meal. It wasn’t his vehicle being lit on fire. He wasn’t even close to being in harm’s way, yet he jumped into action,” Whiting said.
“This is a testament to the type of person Bert is. Kind, quiet, gentle, loving, compassionate, and willing to step up when needed.”
Whiting said he “wanted to spill the beans about who Hawaiian Shirt Guy was as soon as it happened.”
Instead, he waited.
Contacted by CBC, Gibbs’s wife Glenys Reeves-Gibbs said the couple would prefer to continue to stay out of the limelight.
“Bert and I are honoured that you feel this story is still newsworthy,” Reeves-Gibbs said in a text message. “We agreed to the pictures and social media post as Jason is a friend. We recognized that this would give up our anonymity but would like to keep our privacy.”
She said the couple believed that six months after the event the post would be “old news” and generate little interest.
The man charged in the incident pleaded guilty to four criminal charges in provincial court in Edmonton on Aug. 2.
Maurice Sutton, 23, admitted to possession of an explosive device, two counts of arson and assault with a weapon.
Sutton has been in custody since the night of the arsons and is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 8.