Vancouver police apologize to man mistakenly arrested, shot with two less-lethal rounds

Vancouver police are apologizing to a man who was mistakenly arrested and shot by two less-lethal rounds last week.

According to the police, officers received “reliable information” of a man who was wanted Canada-wide after a violent home invasion in Calgary.

The suspect was deemed to be “armed and dangerous, and potentially in possession of a firearm,” police said.

“Due to the high-risk nature of the arrest, VPD’s Emergency Response Team was deployed. During the arrest, officers struck a person with two rubber bullets from a less-lethal ARWEN gun,” VPD explained.

After the arrest, police realized the suspect was not involved in the home invasion. Police said the error was made because “of mistaken identity.”

While in the Yaletown area, where he was arrested, the man was released from custody and received medical attention.

“Senior VPD officials have apologized to the man for the mistaken arrest and support an independent review of the circumstances by the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner,” VPD added.

Vancouver Police have notified the OPCC.