Report on Vancouver police beating case reveals two different accounts police, accounts, Report, case, two

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Report on Vancouver police beating case reveals two different accounts



To Vancouver police, it was the appropriate response to what they believed was a violent, drunken man threatening the safety of a woman and baby, their efforts unfortunately derailed by a case of mistaken identity but the situation exacerbated by a resistant and combative Wu.

The result is a high-profile case that for nine months has been the subject of an investigation by the Delta police department, which Vancouver Police Chief Jim Chu asked to take over after learning Wu had retained prominent lawyer Cameron Ward.

The two officers were cleared of any wrongdoing on Wednesday, a written decision by Delta Police Chief Jim Cessford saying they had acted "in good faith," had reasonable grounds to believe Wu was their suspect and "used reasonable force" to arrest him.

The final investigation report, which was completed Oct. 18 and includes transcripts of interviews with Wu and police constables Nicholas Florkow and Bryan London, illustrates two very different accounts of what happened at Wu's south Vancouver home in the early hours of Jan. 21.

A woman had called 911 at 2:16 a.m. to report that her intoxicated husband had assaulted her and that her 10-month-old baby was at the residence. However, she was reluctant to provide details to the 911 dispatcher, saying she was afraid her child would be taken away by child services, according to the report. After some initial confusion, Florkow and London, both in plain clothes with badges worn around their necks, arrived at the right Lanark Street house — but the wrong door. The female caller, Wu's tenant, lived in the basement suite of the house, accessed through the rear.

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The Vancouver police version:

1. At about 2:25 a.m., police knock on the front door and ring the doorbell. Wu asks through the door who it is, to which officers reply, "Vancouver police" and hold their badges up to a small window in the door. They identify themselves as "Vancouver police" between seven and 10 times.


2. Wu opens the door about 10 inches. Florkow holds his badge and police ID card up to Wu's face and states again that they are police and need to enter the home to investigate a domestic disturbance. Wu says "no" repeatedly. Florkow sticks his foot in the doorway so Wu can't close the door.

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3. Wu shoves Florkow in the chest with both hands, then grabs him around the shoulders and attempts to pull him to the ground. Florkow attempts to step backwards and disengage.


4. London grabs hold of Wu and takes him to the ground outside the front door. The left side of Wu's face makes contact with the concrete as he is taken down.


5. London tells Wu several times to put his hands behind his back and that he is under arrest. Wu does not comply and instead swings his arms and attempts to stand up. Florkow employs three unsuccessful "close-handed tactical strikes" to Wu's upper shoulder. Wu continues to resist and Florkow employs two more "close-handed tactical stuns" to Wu's upper back.


6. London and Florkow eventually press Wu onto his stomach and handcuff him. It is then that the officers learn from other people at the residence they have the wrong person.


Yao Wei Wu's version:


1. After hearing someone banging on his front door, Wu, who speaks very limited English, walks downstairs, looks through the door's peephole at the two men and asks, in English, who it is. One man responds, "police." Wu says the man was wearing what "looked like a police badge."


2. Wu opens the door eight to 18 inches after Florkow and London identify themselves as police.


3. The officers immediately push the door open and pull Wu outside without explaining why they are there.


4. Florkow and London press Wu to the ground and beat him for 10 to 20 minutes. "It was very quick when I was outside. ... I didn't know whether I was scared or what."


5. Wu cries hysterically and screams for help in Cantonese. He covers his head as they hit him in the face. He doesn't remember how his eye is injured. "It was very chaotic."


6. The officers handcuff Wu and pin him to the ground. The officers then call emergency health services to attend to Wu. Wu's handcuffs are removed when he is in the ambulance. More officers arrive, including a Cantonese-speaking officer who explains the situation and apologizes for the mix-up

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Yao Wei Wu, 44, at a news conference Wednesday. The Vancouver man allegedly beaten outside his own home by two police officers who had the wrong address says he's "disappointed and angry" they have been cleared of any wrongdoing


Yao Wei Wu, 44, who lives in Southeast Vancouver was confronted at 2:20 a.m. by two plainclothes police officers called to the residence where a woman was being attacked by her husband