A 24-year-old Victoria man is among three suspects in custody after a Tuesday night assault left a Vancouver police officer with significant injuries.
The attack happened about 10 p.m. when two plainclothes officers pulled over a Dodge Durango on Robson Street after they spotted it travelling through an area of Granville Street closed to private vehicles.
Police said the three men in the SUV were confrontational and verbally abusive.
When one officer opened the passenger door, he was pulled inside and punched repeatedly in the head and face by two of the men, police said.
As the other officer rushed to help, the three men got out of the vehicle and continued to assault the officers.
One man tried to flee and was pursued by the uninjured officer. The man ran through a red light at Robson and Seymour streets and was struck by a vehicle, but continued to flee until he was finally caught.
Troy Michael Robinson, 22, and his brother Brendan John Robinson, 21, both of West Vancouver, are each charged with assaulting a police officer causing bodily harm and willfully obstructing a police officer.
Brian Benjamin Allen, 24, of Victoria is charged with possession of stolen property worth under $5,000, for allegedly taking the injured officer’s cellphone.
The injured police officer is recovering at home.
“The injuries are to the head and face, and we consider them to be substantial injuries,” said Vancouver police spokesman Sgt. Jason Robillard.
Robillard was asked at a media conference if the officers, who were dressed in plainclothes, properly identified themselves as the police.
“They did pull this vehicle over with their emergency lights on their vehicle, they did identify themselves as police officers, and there is no doubt in my mind that the three occupants in the vehicle knew they were police officers — just from comments made and evidence I read,” he said.
“This is an example of the risk all police officers face as they work to protect the citizens they serve. This sort of incident affects the entire policing community,” Robillard said.
“We wish our officer a speedy recovery and will ensure the officer and his family have the support they need.”
