An assault charge against a Kelowna RCMP officer has been approved by the BC Prosecution Service (BCPS).

On Sept. 4, 2025, Const. Russell Reeder was charged with one count of assault in relation to an alleged incident that occurred in Kelowna on Aug. 18, 2023, during the height of the McDougall Creek wildfire.

Black Press Media has reached out to Kelowna RCMP in regards to Reeder's current job status.

Reeder's first appearance in court is scheduled for Sept. 18 in Kelowna provincial court.

Reeder has been the subject of a civil suit in the past, when a quadriplegic man named Steven Margetts alleged he was assaulted and that Reeder used a conducted energy weapon on him back in Aug. 2022. The man claimed he suffered multiple broken bones and injuries as a result.

According to the suit

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