RCMP say the force used during an arrest near Loon Lake was reasonable, after video from the scene began circulating on social media.
What happened
Officers responded to a report of a drug-impaired person on a street in Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation at about 5 a.m. on July 27, according to a Saskatchewan RCMP statement.
While responding, officers saw a man wanted on a warrant enter a nearby residence. They approached and spoke with people at the door. Two wanted men were arrested there without incident, RCMP said.
During the arrest, a 40-year-old woman became confrontational and punched two officers, according to police. Officers told her to stop moving. She left the entrance area and went down the stairs, where she was arrested outside the residence.
All three people arrested were taken to the detachment. The woman was seen by EMS for what RCMP described as minor injuries.
Charges
RCMP identified the two men arrested on outstanding warrants as:
- Lane Anthony Purves, 30, of Edmonton, wanted by Swift Current RCMP on charges including theft
- Rayden Joe Kytwayhat, 28, of Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation, wanted by Loon Lake RCMP on charges including domestic assault
The woman, identified as Rose Georgina Angus, 40, of Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation, faces the following charges:
- Two counts of assault of a police officer, under Section 270(1)(a) of the Criminal Code
- Two counts of resisting a police officer, under Section 129(a) of the Criminal Code
- One count of obstructing a police officer, under Section 129(a) of the Criminal Code
- One count of possession of cocaine, under Section 4(1) of the Controlled Drugs and Substances Act
Angus is scheduled to appear in Meadow Lake Provincial Court on July 28 at 10 a.m. The charges have not been tested in court, and she is presumed innocent unless proven guilty.
Video circulates online
A video showing part of the arrest has been shared widely on Facebook, posted by a woman identified in the post as Angus’s daughter. Footage shows Angus with visible blood on her face during the encounter with officers.
RCMP said it has received multiple requests from reporters about the video and issued its statement to provide context on what led up to it.
RCMP response
RCMP said Section 25 of the Criminal Code allows officers to use reasonable force while lawfully carrying out their duties. The force said an initial review at the Saskatchewan RCMP district level, which included officers’ body-worn camera footage, found the force used in this arrest was reasonable.
That footage will be presented as evidence in court, RCMP said.
Under RCMP policy, the incident was not referred to the Serious Incident Response Team, known as SIRT, because of what the force described as the non-serious nature of the woman’s injuries.
Read more: Loon Lake RCMP investigate drive-by shooting
100% justified. The officers were carrying out their duty arresting two wanted individuals – understandbly this causes emotions to run high for others but when you interfere with the police and strike the police what do you expect. She is lucky she wasn’t tased – her actions could have encouraged others to get involved and this could have been very dangerous for the officers.
People blaming the officers aren’t thinking about the facts – you punch a cop you’re NOT going to be allowed to carry on your merry way!
Ofcourse makes it look like she was at fault when the WHITE RCMP officers were very verbal, punched her in the face and made it look like she at fault, these WHITE RCMP OFFICERS SHOULD BE FIRED, I REALLY HOPE SOMETHING IS DONE BUT OFCOURSE THE NEWS MAKES IT LOOK LIKE SHE WAS IN THE WRONG, YEAH GOOD JOB TO THIS “OFFICERS” BET THEY REALLY WANTED TO HIT A NATIVE WOMAN
The NEWS WILL SIDE WITH THE CANADIAN JUSTICE SYSTEM, FXCK THE NEWS, THESE BASTARDS SHOULD GET FIRED
No, in this case, the news did exactly what every news outlet does, share a Press Release from the RCMP. If the family puts out a press release, we’ll share that as well, however we have not seen anything from the family yet.
COPS WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ANY FAMILY MEMBER THAT IS A WOMAN ????????????????
I pray that those cops get fired. So maybe the woman took a swing at the cops… Maybe… She was manhandled beyond reason and since she did not suffer life threatening injury the cops are good? Bullshyte. This is what happens when the government has all the power. I hope she sues them blind! And wins.