On October 2nd, the Kelowna RCMP (federal police) announced the arrest of five youths in connection with the assault of a 13-year-old girl in Kelowna, British Columbia (BC). The incident occurred at around 8:30 pm on September 27th at Boyce-Giro Beach Park when several youths pushed the victim to the ground, punched him, and assaulted him by throwing sand at him. The victim was seriously injured and taken to the hospital. About 30 youths were at the scene watching and filming the assault, one of whom called the police and the other tried to stop it, and police have expressed their gratitude to the two.
All five suspects arrested are under the age of 18 and have currently been released under strict conditions. A video of the assault is said to be circulating online, and police are urging people to stop spreading the video and are also appealing for anyone with information about the incident. Police say there were 41 youth assault incidents in Kelowna in 2023, a significant increase from 16 in 2022.
Of the incidents in 2023, more than 30 per cent involved the use of a weapon, including bear spray.