LOON LAKE — The Saskatchewan RCMP say a 40-year-old woman punched two officers and resisted arrest before she was taken into custody on Makwa Sahgaiehcan First Nation — a response to a viral video that has sparked widespread attention online.
RCMP issued a media release late Monday after footage showing part of the encounter circulated on Facebook, posted by a woman identified as the daughter of Rose Georgina Angus. The video shows Angus with visible blood on her face after an officer is seen punching her repeatedly in the face during the arrest.
According to RCMP, the incident occurred early in the morning on July 27 when Loon Lake RCMP responded to a report of a drug-impaired person on a street within the First Nation. While en route to that call at approximately 5 a.m., officers observed a wanted man entering a home on the same street.
Police approached the house and spoke with the occupants at the door. Two wanted men, 30-year-old Lane Anthony Purves of Edmonton, who was wanted on a warrant by Swift Current RCMP, and 28-year-old Rayden Joe Kytwayhat of Makwa Sahgaiehcan, were arrested without incident. But during the process, police allege that Angus became confrontational and punched two officers. When directed to stop moving, she reportedly left the entrance area and went down the stairs, where she was arrested outside.
All three people were taken to the detachment, where Angus was seen by EMS for what the RCMP describe as minor injuries.
Angus has been charged with two counts each of assault on a police officer and resisting arrest. She is also charged with obstructing a police officer and possession of cocaine. She is scheduled to appear in Meadow Lake Provincial Court on July 28.
“When police officers are required to intervene in a given situation, it is, by nature, a complex, dynamic and constantly evolving situation, often in a highly charged atmosphere,” said the RCMP in a statement. “We recognize that any enforcement action can generate strong reactions and we take those concerns seriously.”
RCMP said the force used during the arrest was reasonable. Following an initial review that included body-worn camera footage, the Saskatchewan RCMP determined the actions of the officers were justified under Section 25 of the Criminal Code, which allows officers to use force in the lawful execution of their duties.
Saskatchewan RCMP said this incident hasn't been reported to SIRT given the non-serious nature of the injuries sustained by the woman arrested in this incident.
ljoy@sasktoday.ca
