A Richmond resident has requested that an investigation following a “fist-fight” between himself and an off-duty Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) officer be re-opened.
The fight was the culmination of an ongoing “cat versus dog altercation” between two Richmond residents, explained Cpl. Ian Henderson, spokesperson with the Richmond RCMP.
Richmond RCMP had responded to a call made by one of the men involved who identified himself as an off-duty CBSA officer.
“Initially, both parties admitted to losing his cool, and neither party wanted further action by police,” said Henderson.
However, on Friday, Nathan Lau, who is one of the parties involved, reached out to the investigator in charge of the case to re-open the file, according to Richmond RCMP.
According to a Facebook post by Lau’s girlfriend, Isabel Chuong, Lau and the CBSA officer have had several encounters in the past, but they were mostly verbal disputes.
On the day of the fight, Lau was “minding his own business” in an underground garage of a townhome when the off-duty officer followed and recorded him.
When Lau tried to do the same and record him at a closer distance, the officer “immediately rushed out (of his car) and sucker-punched him” and put him in a “chokehold.”
Lau’s friend, who was there at the time, tried to intervene, but was told by the officer to “stand back as he was an officer.”
Lau is now suffering with an infraorbital fracture, concussion and is having trouble sleeping.
In her Facebook post, Chuong expressed her “disgust” at the officer using his “position of power to intimate others.”
“As a peace officer, his duty should be to protect the public, not assault them,” she said.
“In addition, shouting gross and stereotypical racist insults is embarrassing and an incredibly poor representation of the men and women who dedicate their time working for the CBSA.”
CBSA told the News there is an ongoing “thorough investigation” of the officer’s conduct.
“Any employee who breaches CBSA’s strict code of ethics and behaviour will face disciplinary action,” said Ashley Lemire, a spokesperson with CBSA.
“This matter involves a single CBSA officer and is not representative of the integrity and professionalism of thousands of CBSA employees who carry out their duties in an exemplary manner.”
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