RCMP apologize to student dragged, stepped on during wellness check
Posted July 2, 2020 2:20 pm.
VANCOUVER (NEWS 1130) — The commanding officer for the Southeast district of the RCMP has apologized to the nursing student who had her head stepped on by an officer during a wellness check in Kelowna.
Video of the incident, which took place in January, was widely shared last week. It shows an officer dragging a Mona Wang face down, while she was hanfcuffed, through a hallway and later stepping on her head.
RELATED: ‘Reckless’ Kelowna RCMP officer seen dragging, stepping on head of nursing student during wellness check
Chief Supt. Brad Haugli says it’s natural the friends and family of Wang want answers.
“When I first saw the video, [I was] deeply concerned, and I’m very sorry to Ms. Wang for what occurred.”
He says if it was his family or friend in the video, he would want answers as well.
“High public confidence is what we strive for, and when we become aware of concerning behaviour, we needed to assure the public we are taking the necessary steps to gather all the facts using legislative process to make a determination of what occured and to hold our members accountable.”
Watch: Kelowna RCMP officer seen dragging, stepping on head of UBC student during wellness check
After the video was shown to him and senior management at the Kelowna detachment, he says a statutory and code of conduct investigation was called for immediately.
“The statutory investigation has been made a priority and will be advanced to an external police agency,” he said.
Based on this situation, Haugli wants nurses sent out with officers for every single mental health-related call in his district.
RELATED: Kelowna Mountie seen in shocking wellness check video placed on administrative duties
Wang has filed a lawsuit against the Mountie seen in the video, who has since been put on administrative duties.
-With files from Castanet
