B.C.鈥檚 police watchdog is investigating an incident involving the Surrey RCMP in Guildford earlier this month 鈥� and police have issued a 鈥渃omplete apology鈥� 鈥� after a man complained Surrey Mounties mistook him for a robbery suspect and left him injured.

According to police, officers were responding to an armed robbery at 5:30 a.m. on Feb. 8 at a business in the 10300-block of 152nd Street. The suspect had been seen leaving the scene on a bicycle.

Phil Evans told the Now-Leader that police stopped his son鈥檚 friend, 27-year-old Alex Fisher, while he was riding a bicycle and the police allegedly 鈥減ulled him off his bike and slammed his face into the ground.鈥�

Rebecca Whalen, a spokeswoman for the Surrey-based Independent Investigations Office of B.C. couldn鈥檛 confirm the name of the complainant but said an investigation is underway.

鈥淎 responding officer located a person he believed matched the description of the suspect, riding a bicycle nearby and placed him under arrest,鈥� a separate statement by BC RCMP issued Tuesday (Feb. 16) reads.

鈥淭he man allegedly resisted the officer鈥檚 attempts to take him into custody and a struggle ensued. With assistance of several back-up officers, the man was taken into custody.鈥�

The man was assessed and treated by paramedics at the scene. Once officers determined he wasn鈥檛 the suspect, the man was released from police custody.

The man suffered 鈥渟erious injuries,鈥� police said.

鈥淭he RCMP regrets the mistake made in identifying the man and now offers a complete apology to him,鈥� the BC RCMP said.

B.C.鈥檚 police watchdog investigates all incidents involving police that end in injury or death to determine if police action or inaction played a role.

SURREY IIO:

tom.zytaruk@surreynowleader.com
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