A Fraser Lake teen who allegedly attacked one of his school mates after his bike was stolen, will make his first court appearance on June 13.
Fraser Lake RCMP continue to investigate the incident which took place on April 20 along Highway 16, near Lejac.
The incident was videotaped and later uploaded to the internet for a brief period of time.
The incident took place after a FLESS student noticed that his bike had gone missing and got in a vehicle with a number of other people to go and locate it.
The video, which was taken by other people in the car, shows the bike owner getting out of the car at the side of the highway and knocking a teen off a bike, before punching and kicking him numerous times.
Eventually, someone in the vehicle gets out of the car to intervene.
The incident was reported later the same day by the victim’s mother. She told the RCMP that she was reporting it on behalf of her 19-year-old because he is mentally challenged.
The victim’s injuries were described as “substantial” in an RCMP press release, however medical attention was not sought.
“After the incident happened the mother brought her son into the detachment...he was directed to go to the clinic but I don’t believe he did,” said Sergeant Rocky Calhoun from the Fraser Lake RCMP detachment.
RCMP located and arrested the suspected attacker at his residence in Fraser Lake on April 22, he was later released with a date for a first court appearance in Vanderhoof.
RCMP are continuing to investigate the bike theft.
According to Calhoun, the assault victim did not want to press charges against his attacker.
“If we feel it’s in the public interest we can send matters to crown for charge approval with or without the victims consent,” he said.
After watching the video of the attack, Calhoun said he found it disturbing.
“When I saw the video I was very disturbed...we investigate matters of assault on a regular basis from what people say happened - but when you actually get to see it on those rare occasions...it certainly puts a different light on things,” he said.
He added that bike thefts are not a common occurrence in Fraser Lake.
“Fraser Lake is a typical small community where the minor occurrence of a bicycle theft is a matter that could have been easily resolved and quickly investigated by the police if brought to their attention. In this case, as a direct result of this one individual choosing to handle the theft in this manner, he has now left himself in a position where he faces serious and negative consequences,” said RCMP media relations officer Cpl. Dan Moskaluk, in a press release.
Anyone with any information about the theft of the bike or the assault is asked to contact the Fraser Lake RCMP on 250-699-7777.