Media Update – Re: Youth assault on Lakeshore Road

Kelowna

2024-10-02 14:13 PDT

Sgt. Laura Pollock – Executive NCO to the Officer in Charge

On Friday, September 27, 2024 at approximately 8:30 pm there was a violent assault of a female youth at Gyro beach on Lakeshore Drive in Kelowna. This assault was witnessed by approx. 30 youth and was captured on video. Police were called and upon our arrival the youth immediately dispersed.

This investigation involves youth victims and aggressors. I am limited to what I can say due to the Privacy Act and the Youth Criminal Justice Act. I would like to take this time to acknowledge the two youth that phoned the police and attempted to intervene during the assault. Thankyou. Of the 30 plus people there standing around, watching and taking video, you showed compassion and made the right decision. Empowering youth to call 911 when witnessing violence and reaching out to adults to help stop violence is of upmost importance.

I will now provide an update to the police investigation. Members of our General Investigative Support Team are leading the investigation. They have reviewed the video and have identified all 5 aggressors involved. Our police officers have been working around the clock in the collection of evidence and the interviews of witnesses connected to this incident.

Yesterday three of the five youth were arrested and released on strict conditions. We will be monitoring them to ensure they are complying with these conditions and attending any future court dates.

Our GIST team continues to investigate including any outstanding arrests.

We are asking everyone to please stop sharing and circulating the video. I know from my work with victims that have been exploited through imagery that continuous circulation of video and photos when they are a victim of crime has profound and lasting impacts. The video is degrading and the intent is to humiliate. The sharing of evidence can negatively impact witnesses that we have yet to interview and the prosecution of this case. While the conversation and work around ending violence is paramount, the continuous sharing of this video is not aiding in a collective stand against violence.

Our two City of Kelowna Community Youth Safety Officers are involved and fully tasked while they continue to work with the School District and other community partners to educate our youth on making the right decisions and providing information on how to report crimes and seek support services.

The RCMP is working collaboratively with the City of Kelowna’s Community Safety Plan partners such as the Community Outreach John Howard Society, Ministry of Children and Family Development, the BGC Okanagan and School District 23 in building an early intervention and prevention approach to identify and connect at risk youth to integrated wrap around supports and services.

Collectively as parents, educators, law enforcement, support workers, and partners in our community it is our responsibility to continue the conversation and efforts to stop youth crime. We will continue engaging children at a younger age and ensuring those who have complex needs are receiving the social and community supports they require.

We know there is a distinct relation to the youth who commit the majority of violent crimes and those who have experienced some form of trauma, abuse, bullying and mental health diagnosis at a young age.

As a community we need to all be aware of what is happening, if you know something say something. If anyone has any further information about this investigation and has not yet spoken to police, please call the Kelowna RCMP at 250-762-3300 and reference file number 2024-57168.

Released by:

Email: Kelowna_Media@rcmp-grc.gc.ca

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