Date: Wednesday, April 14, 2021
File: 21-14029

Victoria, BC – A Patrol officer was injured after coming to the aid of an impaired youth in the midst of a mental health crisis yesterday.

Yesterday, Patrol officers were called to a downtown intersection for a report that a man in crisis was running in traffic in an attempt to cause harm to himself. When officers arrived, they discovered that the man was in fact a youth, who appeared intoxicated by drugs while in the midst of a crisis.

Officers were able to de-escalate him and safely remove the youth from the roadway. BC Emergency Health Services paramedics arrived to transport him to hospital. An officer rode with the youth to the hospital.

Upon arriving at the hospital, the youth experienced further negative effects of drug intoxication and his condition began to deteriorate. Paramedics then administered naloxone and the youth began to recover. The youth then suddenly became assaultive with hospital staff, paramedics and officers, attempting to spit on one officer before kicking another officer in the face.

The youth was brought under control by officers without injury. He was held in hospital for treatment under the Mental Health Act. The officer suffered non-life-threatening injuries in the assault, and was treated at hospital, but was able to complete his shift.

This file remains under investigation.

If you have information about this incident please call the VicPD Report Desk at (250) 995-7654 extension 1. To report what you know anonymously, please call Greater Victoria Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

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