Residents of ΑπΑ§ΙρΙηβs Tent City say that they do not feel safe in their own homes, two days after a man drove over a tent, seriously injuring the man sleeping inside.
βThe sounds, the screams, it was like something out of a horror movie,β said Mama Kajer, one of the leaders of the community.
Residents of the homeless encampment, located between Ethel Street and Richter Street, were woken to sounds of an engine revving followed by yelling, fighting and sirens, shortly after midnight, on Sept. 25, said Mama.
READ MORE: UPDATE: Charges laid after man dragged through encampment by truck in ΑπΑ§ΙρΙη
Tyler Manchur has been charged with one count of impaired operation causing bodily harm and one count of driving while prohibited/licence suspended after allegedly driving over an occupied tent.
Manchur allegedly drove a truck through a fence into victim, Jefferyβs tent, reports his neighbour, T, who asked to remain anonymous. Jeffery was then caught up in his tent and dragged for approximately 60 metres, until the tent got tangled in the wheels, halting the truck.
Then, T said that Jefferyβs friend ran up to the truck and broke the back windows, to force Manchur out of the vehicle.
Jefferyβs friend then prevented Manchur from fleeing the scene.
It took over 45 minutes for the RCMP and emergency services to extract Jeffery from under the truck, said Mama. She said that he is badly injured as a result of the incident.
O.C., a resident who wishes to remain anonymous, said that he believes that this was intentional, and fears that people experiencing homelessness are being targeted.
He explained that he had just left Penticton because of violent βvigilanteβ groups, and now fears for his safety again.
READ MORE: ΑπΑ§ΙρΙη RCMP clarify wording over man dragged by truck at tent city
Jacqueline.Gelineau@kelownacapnews.com
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