A school director in Prince George, B.C., said she was shocked and frightened after being surrounded by police officers with guns drawn and handcuffs in what the RCMP said was a case of mistaken identity.
Erica McLean, vice-president of the local school board, is from the Gitxsan Nation in Hazelton and is a writer and athlete who works with youth in communities in north-central British Columbia.
She said she was parked in the parking lot of a local Starbucks on Tuesday morning when an unmarked police car slowly rammed into the front of her SUV, followed by another police car that surrounded her from behind.
What happened next is a blur, she said, as she was surrounded by multiple armed police officers shouting instructions at her.
“I froze,” she said. “I couldn’t understand it, there were a lot of instructions… I remember thinking if I made the wrong move, with so many weapons pointed at me, I might die. I really felt like my life was in danger.
“I was worried that if I put my phone down or took off my seatbelt, I might be shot. I silently whispered, ‘What happened? What happened? How did this happen?'”
RCMP say they are undergoing training
In a statement, the RCMP did not dispute MacLean’s version of events. They said they had received a report of a stolen car the previous day, taken by suspects they believed were “linked to a local crime syndicate.”
On Tuesday, the local police department believed they found the stolen vehicle in a parking lot, the statement said. “Our officers underwent what they determined to be a high-risk stop training, which included using a squad car to stop the movement of a suspicious vehicle and engaging the vehicle’s occupants, in this case a lone driver, with their firearms drawn.”
McClain’s vehicle was a black 2020 Volkswagen Tiguan. She said an officer at the scene told her her vehicle had a similar make and license plate. related to the one reported stolen. (Andrew Kurjata/CBC)
The vehicle police are looking for is a 2025 Volkswagen Taos. The day after McClain was handcuffed, he was found during a high-speed highway chase north of Prince George that ended with spike strips being used and five people taken into custody. The B.C. Highway Patrol said the vehicle’s license plate had been stolen when it was discovered. (BC Provincial Highway Patrol)
“We have contacted the driver multiple times since this incident occurred,” said Sgt. Street Patrol Commander Dan Morris said in a written statement. “We were given the opportunity to explain what had happened, to give our officers confidence that her car was the vehicle we were looking for, and that was supported by our victim services unit and our detachment.”
seeking answers
McLean said police explained to her what happened at the scene and tried to calm her down, but she remained frightened and scarred by the experience and struggled to sleep as she experienced a “rollercoaster” of emotions.
While she’s not seeking blame, she wants more answers about what led her to a life-threatening situation as police view her as a danger to themselves and the public.
Erica MacLean said she hopes to meet with the RCMP to learn more about the incident and find a way forward. (Andrew Kurjata/CBC News)
“There was a second or two where I decided that I was a threat to public safety that warranted this kind of response and this kind of force. It’s within that scope that I have a lot of questions, not only for myself but for others in the community who may have experienced something similar.”
McLean said she has since been contacted by multiple individuals and organizations offering support.
She said she is weighing her next steps but does want to speak with local RCMP chiefs about what happened and how to move forward in a positive way.
She also said that as an elected official, she feels a responsibility to share her experience and understand how it came to be.
“If this can happen to me, what else is going on out there?” she said.