Mountie caught on video during violent arrest now on desk duty

Photo: Contributed

UPDATE 9:30 a.m.

The RCMP officer caught on video repeatedly punching a suspect during an arrest downtown Kelowna last weekend has been identified by his sister and CTV News. 

Kym Pietrzak, who lives in Ontario, said she recognized her brother, Const. Siggy Pietrzak, as soon as she saw the video.

"My brother is the one that flew out of the vehicle and started throwing punches," she told Castanet in an email. "That’s who my brother is."

CTV Vancouver is reporting she is one of several people who identified Pietrzak in the video.

A second video of the arrest has also since surfaced. The CBC published a video this week showing Pietrzak throwing 10 punches while the suspect was being held by two other officers.

—with files from CTV Vancouver

ORIGINAL 8:40 a.m.

RCMP have confirmed with Castanet that the officer involved as the third man in during the violent arrest of a suspect in downtown Kelowna has been taken off of active duty.
 
"We received confirmation that the officer involved in the arrest on May 30, 2020 which was captured on video, has been reassigned to administrative duties. His duty status is subject to continuous review and assessment," S/Sgt. Janelle Shoihet, Senior Media Relations Officer, Communication Services.

The officer has still not been identified and the move appears to have come on the same day that it was announced that Superintendent Brent Mundle was transferred to a new position as Assistant District Operations Officer at Southeast District Headquarters.

Despite the optics of the announcements RCMP tell Castanet that Mundle's transfer was in the works months before recent events involving RCMP officers' arrest of a suspect in downtown Kelowna Saturday.

Photo: Sarita Patel