VICTORIA -- A Nanaimo man who entered into a violent struggle to help an RCMP officer is being showered with praise by officers.

The man, who asked to only go by his initials of G.A., but did pose in pictures with officers, jumped into action when he saw a female officer entering into hand-to-hand combat with a suspect in the Nanaimo suburb of Cedar. 

On Jan. 25, Const. Kelly Boudreau was roaming the streets of Cedar on routine patrol when she was dispatched to reports of a man acting erratically. 

Arriving on scene, the officer quickly became aware the man was suffering from some type of mental health issue. Wanting to take the man into custody under the Mental Health Act, Boudreau tried to control the man, but was quickly met with resistance.

G.A. happened to be driving by when he spotted the officer grappling with the suspect on the side of the road. Noticing the man was clearly in a larger weight class than the Mountie, he slammed the brakes and entered the fray. 

“Without the timely intervention and assistance of G.A., both the officer and the subject male may have been injured,” said Nanaimo RCMP Supt. Cameron Miller. 

G.A. helped the officer subdue the violent man until backup could arrive. 

“While we do not expect civilians to respond in the manner that he did, we are though most grateful and appreciate when they do,” said Miller. 

G.A. has been awarded a letter of appreciation from the RCMP thanking him for his courageous actions to help an officer.

He was also presented with a special challenge coin which all Nanaimo RCMP officers are given.