A Vancouver man who was beaten by undercover police in what the police said was a case of mistaken identity has launched a civil suit against the city, the two officers and the municipality of Delta, B.C.
In a statement of claim filed Friday in the B.C. Supreme Court, Yao Wei Wu, 44, said he was dragged from his house in the middle of the night, beaten and handcuffed. His children and wife, who is also a plaintiff in the suit, witnessed the alleged attack.
Mr. Wu said he was awakened by loud knocks at the front door of the family's east Vancouver house early January 21. When he opened the door, the officers forced their way inside, grabbed Mr. Wu, dragged him outside and "assaulted and repeatedly beat him without provocation or justification," the five-page statement of claim states.
Mr. Wu, a carpet layer, is an immigrant from China and speaks little English. Mr. Wu's lawyer, Cameron Ward, was not available to comment.
The officers, Constables Nicholas Florkow and Bryan London, handcuffed Mr. Wu and also a bystander who asked why the police were restraining Mr. Wu, the statement of claim states.
The court documents were released by a group of supporters who came to Mr. Wu's assistance after the January incident.
One of those supporters, Bill Chu, said Mr. Wu has not worked since the incident nor has his wife. He suffered fractures in the bones around an eye as well as bruises to his knees and back. Community supporters have raised about $7,000 to help the family make ends meet.
Vancouver police later apologized to Mr. Wu in person, explaining that the police officers were responding to a domestic assault case and came to the wrong door.
The statement of claim alleges that the actions of Constables Florkow and London "constitute gross negligence and malicious and willful misconduct."
Also named in the suit is the municipality of Delta, which was asked to investigate the police incident. The suit alleges that Delta has conducted a "negligent investigation" of the incident.