A fitness assessment has been ordered for a Kelowna man accused of stabbing a Mountie in March 2022.
Richard McCrae has remained in custody since an incident on March 26, 2022, that left a Kelowna police officer with a serious stab wound above their eye.
During an RCMP press conference held after the incident, police explained that officers had responded to an ‘unwanted persons call’ for people camping at a private property on the 1000 block of Ellis Street.
An officer attended the scene and spoke with an individual who was on the property. Shortly after the conversation began, the officer sent out an emergency notification, alerting dispatchers that they required immediate assistance.
The suspect, who is believed to be McCrae, then allegedly pulled out a knife and stabbed the officer above the eye.
In an attempt to gain control of the situation, the officer discharged their firearm without shooting anyone.
It was then that the suspect allegedly began harming himself with the knife.
More police arrived on the scene and McRae was apprehended under the Mental Health Act and was taken to the hospital where he received treatment for self-inflected neck wounds.
The officer was also taken to the hospital to receive treatment for the stab wound.
McCrae is now facing charges of attempted murder, aggravated assault of a police officer, attempt to disarm a police officer, possession of a weapon for dangerous purpose, and resisting arrest.
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Defence Counsel for McCrae appeared in Kelowna court on April 29, to apply for a fitness assessment, which is used to determine whether an accused is mentally fit to stand trial. Additionally, the assessment can be used to determine if the accused was suffering from a mental disorder at the time of the incident, which would render them exempt from criminal responsibility.
The fitness assessment, which will be conducted by a forensic psychiatrist, typically takes place over multiple days or weeks.
Crown did not oppose the order and once the report has been received, a date for the fitness hearing will be scheduled.
A fitness hearing can be thought of as a mini-trial, where the suspect’s cognitive ability to stand trial is brought into question and evidence pertaining to their mental state during the incident is presented to the judge.
If a person is found unfit to stand trial, or not criminally responsible for their actions due to a mental disorder, the judge will typically decide if the person is to be released under conditions or detained in a psychiatric hospital.
For more information on the judicial process when a person with a mental disorder is accused of a crime, visit gov.bc.ca.
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