Kamloops RCMP say an officer was taken to hospital after being hit in the head with a skateboard while dealing with a group of intoxicated teenagers at the North Shore bus loop last night.

Police say they were called to reports of a disturbance involving around 20 young people either drunk or high around 11:20 p.m. Mounties say they also got reports of an assault and threats.

Corporal Crystal Evelyn tells Radio NL that’s when the young man started resisting.

“And other youths became involved and began pulling that officer away,” she said. “While that officer was dealing with that situation, another youth allegedly smashed the police officer’s windshield with a skateboard and then struck the officer in the head with it.”

She says the officer was treated on scene by paramedics and then taken to hospital for further treatment.

“Very fortunately, the officer is expected to recover,” Kamloops RCMP Superintendent Jeff Pelley, said, in a news release. “This was an extremely alarming situation that could have most certainly had a very different outcome for the officer and youths involved.”

“I can’t stress enough the importance of cooperating with a police investigation and not interfering, which helps no one and in this case, led to an officer being assaulted and a youth now facing very serious charge recommendations.”

Evelyn says backup officers found and arrested the assault suspect nearby.

“Other officers assisted the officer who was injured with the youth that he had in custody at that time,” Evelyn said. “There was a lot going on at the time as you can imagine.”

She says the assault suspect was taken into custody and then released to a guardian with conditions and a court date, while the other teen that was arrested was taken home without being processed, pending the results of the ongoing investigation.

Evelyn says people who witnessed the brawl, recorded it, or has surveillance video or information about it, should reach out to the Kamloops RCMP Detachment at 250-828-3000.

– With files from Paul James