A Ladysmith RCMP officer required surgery after being punched in the face while arresting a shoplifting suspect at a gas station north of Ladysmith.
Ladysmith RCMP members were dispatched to a report of a male and female shoplifter Thursday, Nov. 13 at 2:33 p.m. at the Husky gas station on the Trans-Canada Highway.
“Four RCMP members from Ladysmith Detachment responded, as this was the third such file in the previous two hours involving this couple being intoxicated and shoplifting,” detachment commander Staff Sgt. Dave Herman said in a press release. “The adult male subject of the couple fled on foot as the RCMP members were arriving on scene. The adult female was taken into custody without incident.”
One Ladysmith RCMP member began pursuing the male suspect on foot, which separated him from the other RCMP members on scene, explained Herman.
“The foot pursuit took the member into a treed area behind the Husky,” he said. “The RCMP member caught the fleeing male and attempted to execute the arrest, and a physical altercation ensued.”
While arresting the male suspect, the Ladysmith RCMP member was punched repeatedly in the head and face, according to Herman’s report.
“The RCMP member was able to take the male down to the ground and restrained the male suspect on the ground until the other RCMP members arrived to assist him,” he said. “While handcuffing the male suspect, two other Ladysmith RCMP members that arrived to assist also sustained very minor injuries as the male continued to struggle.”
As a result of the altercation, one RCMP member was taken and admitted to Nanaimo Hospital with facial injuries that required immediate surgery and will be off duty for about 10 days, said Herman.
The other members were back on duty the next day.
The adult male suspect was remanded in custody and charged with assaulting a peace officer causing bodily harm and other related criminal charges, according to Herman, who notes that he required no medical treatment.