Driver handcuffed by police at gunpoint, released on busy Vernon street

A driver in Vernon, B.C., was handcuffed by police at gunpoint before being released on Sunday afternoon.

The incident unfolded on one of Vernon’s busiest streets at around 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.

Police said the incident was the result of a report of an alleged road rage incident that was later “proven false.”

Police pulled over a silver car in the westbound lanes of 25 Avenue, in front of Fruit Union Plaza.

Dustin Wilson witnessed the incident from across the street in Polson Park.

The silver car, Wilson said, pulled into the Fruit Union Plaza parking lot, followed by a RCMP SUV and then the police vehicle followed the car out of the parking lot.

Wilson said more RCMP arrived and “all of a sudden their lights go on…they all kick their doors open and bring out their guns.”

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At least one officer had his gun drawn as the driver of the car sat in his vehicle with his hand out the window.

Wilson recalls police telling the man to get out of the car and get on the ground. The driver, he said, followed their instructions.

“One of the cops, with his gun out, slowly moved up to the man on the ground and put handcuffs on him and got him up and brought him to the car,” Wilson stated.

Wilson stated he also saw other officers pointing their firearms.

A short time later, the driver was taken out of handcuffs.

After an animated discussion between police and the driver, everyone involved left the area.

The RCMP said police were simply following up on a report that was later shown to be false.

“This incident was a reported road rage incident where an alleged firearm was pointed at another vehicle. A high risk vehicle stop was conducted,” wrote Const. Kelly Brett in a statement.

“However, through further investigation, the allegation was proven false and the driver was allowed to proceed.”

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Wilson said the situation struck him as weird.

“I haven’t seen something like this around here,” he said.