Man charged with assault after police say two officers in Vancouver were set on fire

VANCOUVER — A man has been charged after allegedly setting two officers from the Vancouver Police Department on fire earlier this week.

The department says the 40-year old faces one count of assaulting a police officer and one count of obstructing a police officer.

The incident happened on Thursday night when the officers were on foot patrol in the city’s Downtown Eastside, trying to detain a man for jaywalking.

Police say he was wanted for other offences and tried to run but was caught, and police say that’s when they believe he used a flammable substance to set the officers’ uniforms on fire.