Vernon/North Okanagan
2020-07-06 08:25 PDT
File # 2020-11778
On Sunday evening, the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP received multiple reports of a man assaulting people at Kal Beach located in the 13000 block of Kalamalka Road in Coldstream. On July 5th, 2020 at approximately 8pm, police dispatch was advised of an altercation between two men on Kal Pier where one man was punched unconscious and fell into the water. While witnesses assisted the victim out of the water, the suspect continued to assault other people on the pier and beach. Frontline officers responded to the area and located the suspect in the parking lot where he was advised he was under arrest for assault. The suspect refused to comply with police direction and fled on foot toward the train trestle over Kalamalka Road. The suspect was in a highly agitated state, standing at the top of the trestle and was screaming at police that he would kill them.
Said Cpl Tania Finn, Media Relations Officer of the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP. The officers on scene attempted to de-escalate the situation verbally and encouraged the man to give himself up peacefully.
Given the dangerous location and the suspect’s level of aggression, officers deployed a conducted energy weapon which successfully caused a neural muscular incapacitation of the suspect. This permitted officers to take the suspect into custody without further incident or injury to the suspect or the officers involved.
A 27 year old man from Vernon remains in custody in order to appear in court. One of the victims was transported to hospital with non-life threatening injuries.
If you have any information regarding this incident, please contact Constable Stephanie Buchanan at the Vernon North Okanagan RCMP non-emergency line of 250-545-7171.