Riot prosecution team beefed up

The provincial government will use a special team of top prosecutors and some high technology to help Vancouver police track down the Stanley Cup rioters.

Attorney General Barry Penner says senior prosecutors have already been in touch with the police and they'll work together to bring the rioters to justice.

The Insurance Corporation of B.C. is offering its facial-recognition technology to help match up photos of suspects with their driver license pictures.

Premier Christy Clark also says the government will pay for an investigation into the riot.

Hundreds of people tore through downtown streets breaking windows, looting stores and setting cars on fire following a huge street gathering that had been watching the Canucks' Stanley Cup loss.

Vancouver Police Chief Jim Chu continued Friday to defend his department's handling of the riot.

Chu said he would have had more officers in the area where the riot began had he known trouble was brewing there, and in hindsight, the police would have done many things differently.

Canucks upset

Meanwhile, six people have turned themselves in to police after admitting they took part in the riot, and they are expected to face a variety of charges.

Chu says his investigators have been overwhelmed by tips from the public and are working with other police departments in Metro Vancouver to identify the rioters.

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Canuck players also spoke out Friday against the rioting and rampant vandalism Wednesday, insisting it wasn't the work of their fans.

Although many people wearing Canucks jerseys took part in the chaos, goalie Roberto Luongo blames the violence on isolated groups rather than real Canucks fans.

General manager Mike Gillis said the riot doesn't reflect the Canucks, the city or their fans, and he hopes all the rioters are caught and punished.

The Canucks will work with police and other officials to prevent any repeat of such violence, said Gillis.