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Bystanders applauded for stepping in to help Nanaimo RCMP arrest on busy street

Apr 2, 2019 | 11:30 AM

NANAIMO — Thanks to three civilians who stepped in to help, a Nanaimo RCMP officer only has a black eye and broken sunglasses after being assaulted by an erratic man.

Three drivers got out of their cars at the Rutherford Rd. and Island Hwy. intersection around 6 p.m. on Saturday, March 30 to help the officer.

RCMP Cst. Gary O’Brien said they stopped the suspect from fleeing after he broke free from the officer’s grasp. One of the civilians was injured in the scrap right on the road of the busy intersection.

“These people decided to throw caution to the wind and we really appreciate the effort they put forward,” O’Brien said.

The incident started when the officer found the erratic man and an equally erratic woman, who appeared to only be in her underwear, near the intersection.

“As he was attempting to get her in the car, the man intervened and assaulted the member,” O’Brien said. “So the fight was on.”

They fell to the ground and traded blows, at which point the civilian drivers stepped in to help.

“We do not expect civilians to go into harms way but this is the second incident in less than a week we’ve seen people go outside their comfort zone and really help us out,” O’Brien said.

Roughly five civilians held down a man who allegedly stabbed a woman in Maffeo Sutton Park on Wednesday, March 27.

“It’s sure nice to know that when the fight is on, our community members have our back.”

The man in Saturday’s fight was charged with assaulting an officer and a civilian.

He was released with a promise to appear on Tuesday, April 9.

 

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