(SHELBY THEVENOT / iNFOnews.ca)

Three arrests have been made in connection to a swarming attack on a young girl at Gyro Beach in Kelowna.

The assault took place around 8:30 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 27, and when police officers arrived on the scene the swarm of youth dispersed.

Kelowna RCMP held an unscheduled media availability for select news outlets this morning and iNFOnews.ca was not invited.

RCMP said in a news release issued after the media availability that the attack was witnessed by about 30 teenagers and a video of the assault circulated on the internet. Only two out of 30 witnesses on the video called the police. 

Officers reviewed the video and identified five "aggressors” in the assault, and yesterday, Oct. 1, police arrested three out of the five teenagers identified.

The suspects who were arrested have been released on strict conditions, and police said in a media release they will be monitoring them to make sure they are complying with the terms of their release and show up to future court dates.

“We are asking everyone to please stop sharing and circulating the video. I know from my work with victims that have been exploited through imagery that continuous circulation of video and photos when they are a victim of crime has profound and lasting impacts. The video is degrading and the intent is to humiliate,” Sgt. Laura Pollock said in a media release.

Since the crime involved youths police are not able to release details about their identities.

Officers with the General Investigative Support Team are still working to collect evidence, interview the witnesses, and make any further arrests, RCMP said. 

There are two City of Kelowna Community Youth Safety Officers working with the school district to “educate our youth on making the right decisions and providing information on how to report crimes and seek support services," the release read.

The school district’s superintendent Kevin Kardaal said the district will cooperate with police, but it has to be careful not to interfere with the investigation.

“As we identify students, we will wrap support around those students who need it, and if they were the five perpetrators we're seeing in the release, we will see what conditions have been put on them, but also work with their families to help them make better choices,” he said.

“We have mental health supports, we have mental health workers in schools, we have counsellors if someone's troubled or traumatized by the event, what they witnessed, or if they have regret about what they participated in.”

RCMP said it is working with the John Howard Society, Ministry of Children and Family Development, the Boys and Girls Club Okanagan and School District 23 to find ways to connect youth to support and services.

“We know there is a distinct relation to the youth who commit the majority of violent crimes and those who have experienced some form of trauma, abuse, bullying and mental health diagnosis at a young age,” Sgt. Pollock said.

John Howard Society's director Patricia Bacon said the RCMP has not been in touch with them about support services for at-risk youth. 

"They are incorrect. My organization did participate in the Community Safety Plan development. However, on this particular matter, I’m just not clear what the RCMP is getting at. It is not accurate," Bacon said in an email. 

RCMP said it was unable to comment at this time when asked whether this was a miscommunication or something else. 

Anyone with information is asked to contact RCMP at 250-762-3300 and reference file number 2024-57168.

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