Briere, a junior at the university, has been suspended from his college hockey team, according to the school’s athletic department.

“I am deeply sorry for my behavior on Saturday,” Briere said in a statement after the video surfaced on social media. “There is no justification for my actions, and I am committed to making amends for this poor judgment.”

The surveillance video, captured around 11:30 p.m. on Saturday, shows Briere and two other men near an unattended wheelchair, left at the top of a staircase at Sullivan’s Irish Pub while its owner was carried to the downstairs restrooms. Briere briefly sat in the wheelchair before getting up and pushing it down the stairs.

Following the incident, Nate Sanders, the pub’s security manager, escorted Briere out of the premises.

“I told him, ‘I’ve got video of you throwing a wheelchair down the stairs. It’s time to leave,’” Sanders recalled.

Mercyhurst University announced an investigation after the “disturbing” video went viral. In a statement, the university confirmed Briere’s involvement.

“Mercyhurst University acknowledges the public outcry over a social media video showing Carson Briere pushing an unoccupied wheelchair down a staircase,” the university stated. “Mr. Briere has taken responsibility for his actions, admitting to a serious lapse in judgment and expressing deep regret. This behavior contradicts our core values, and we stand in solidarity with those affected.”

The athletic department also confirmed that Briere and two other student-athletes seen in the footage had been placed on “interim suspension.”

Daniel Briere, the Philadelphia Flyers interim general manager, issued his own apology, calling his son’s behavior “inexcusable.”

“I was shocked to see Carson’s actions in the video,” he said. “His behavior completely contradicts our family’s values. Carson is deeply sorry and takes full responsibility for his actions.”

In the aftermath, Julia Zukowski, a friend of the wheelchair’s owner, started a GoFundMe campaign to raise funds for a replacement. The wheelchair sustained significant damage, including a broken armrest and bent frame.

The campaign quickly raised over $8,000 by Thursday morning. The wheelchair’s owner, Sydney Benes, expressed gratitude but stated she planned to donate much of the money.

“Hi, I’m Sydney, and it was my chair that was pushed down the stairs,” Benes wrote on Twitter. “I’m so grateful for everyone’s kindness but would prefer the funds help others in need.”

Benes, 22, lost her legs in a 2021 car accident that left her trapped in a burning vehicle. She endured third-degree burns on 34% of her body and ultimately had both legs amputated due to severe infections.

Both Briere and the other individual involved have been permanently banned from Sullivan’s Irish Pub.