A Vancouver police jail guard who repeatedly punched a shackled Indigenous teenage girl in the stomach has been sentenced to six months of house arrest. The assault occurred at the Vancouver jail in the early hours of January 1, 2023.
Details of the Assault
Omar Ahmed Flores, 32, a special constable working at Vancouver Police Department cells, pleaded guilty to a single count of assault. The victim, identified as 17-year-old M.C., was heavily intoxicated and had been detained after police found her drinking at an east Vancouver elementary school. Her parents were also intoxicated and unable to pick her up.
According to provincial court Judge Colleen Elden's judgment, M.C. was handcuffed, placed in leg restraints, and later secured in a restraint chair when she made a slight movement toward Flores. He then punched her four times in the stomach with such force that the chair moved backward several times.
Context of the Incident
The judge noted that M.C. was an Indigenous female, a child, and deeply intoxicated, making her exceptionally vulnerable. The assault occurred despite the presence of multiple guards, police officers, and a nurse in a highly controlled environment. Flores had just returned from a month-long leave for counseling due to previous aggression toward detainees.
Elden described the conduct of police officers present as 'abhorrent' and highlighted the tragic irony that actions meant to protect M.C. ultimately enabled the assault. After the assault, M.C. was left restrained in the chair for over six hours until her mother picked her up at 10 a.m.
Broader Implications
The judge emphasized that this case is another troubling example in Canada's history of violence against Indigenous women. Vancouver Chief Const. Steve Rai did not comment on the case. Flores was also involved in a similar assault on a man a week later, though that incident was not part of the guilty plea.
The sentence of six months house arrest has drawn criticism from advocates who argue it is too lenient for a violent assault on a vulnerable youth.
