Nanaimo Mounties say they didn’t do it and are searching for three men involved in an assault Tuesday.
The incident happened behind the Windward Pub in Nanaimo’s hospital district at about 4:30 p.m. where two men were seen beating another man.
“While the assault was taking place people came out and witnessed this and overheard the two suspect males saying that they were undercover police officers,” said Const. Gary O’Brien, Nanaimo RCMP spokesman. “They were not police officers.”
Witnesses spoke with the suspects and told police the victim appeared to have been roughed up, had scratches and his shirt was torn and hanging from his body.
The victim and suspects were last seen walking toward the front of Beaufort Centre on Boundary Crescent and were gone by the time police arrived. No one saw a vehicle.
“They actually escorted the victim away, so we are extremely concerned about the safety of the person who was being assaulted and we need to identify who these two individuals are,” said O’Brien. “This is not good.”
One suspect is described as a Caucasian male, 25 to 30 years old, 5’6” tall, 170 pounds with short, brown hair and was wearing a black hoodie with a white logo and black pants.
The second suspect is also a Caucasian man, 5’8” tall, with short brown hair and a muscular build, clean shaven and was wearing a blue T-shirt with dark colour pants and a hat.
The victim is Caucasian, in his mid 20s with a thin build, black, curly hair and wearing a white hoodie over a red shirt and light colour pants.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call Nanaimo RCMP at 250-754-2345 or contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 or online at www.nanaimocrimestoppers.com.