A Keremeos man suffering from a mental health crisis has been arrested and an RCMP officer is recovering following a violent outburst earlier this week.
According to RCMP, a Keremeos Mountie was called just after 2 a.m. on April 4 when a man who was outside a woman’s residence continued screaming for help. The man and woman knew each other.
“The officer arrived and was speaking with the complainant when the man arrived and made self-harm comments then fled into the residence,” RCMP said in a press release. “The officer pursued, located the man, and began attempts to de-escalate the situation.”
RCMP said that’s when the man stabbed the officer.
Despite being seriously injured, the officer was able to gain control of the man and take the suspect into custody.
The officer drove himself and the man to a local area hospital where he was met by backup police officers.
“It is important to me that the public understand the risks our officers take every day in dealing with all kinds of people, and the elevated risk that is associated in dealing with those who are suffering mental health crisis,” Supt. Brian Hunter of the Penticton South Okanagan Similkameen Regional RCMP said.
“In this case, the man is now receiving the help he so requires, and we will allow the court to determine how best we move forward. This could have been a very different result for both the officer and this man, had this officer not had the will to survive, and fight through injury to get himself and the accused to care.”
The officer was treated for a serious but non-life-threatening stab wound and has since been released from the hospital.
The man was initially brought to the Penticton RCMP, where he was processed and then taken to the hospital under provisions of the Mental Health Act, where he remains under medical care. He is facing potential charges including assault with a weapon.
Late last month, a Kelowna man was charged with attempted murder after an RCMP officer was stabbed.
The man has been charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault of a police officer, attempting to disarm a police officer, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose and resisting arrest.
His next court appearance is set for April 11.
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