Man suffers permanent injuries in alleged assault over ‘man purses’

VERNON – As many as 15 people may have been involved in an assault over "man purses" at a local pizza restaurant overnight Sunday.

A Vernon RCMP officer was driving east on 30th Avenue just after 2 a.m. near Margheritas Pizza when she noticed a group of men, all carrying what she described as "man purses". One of the men ran toward the police car looking for help. He told the officer another man had just been assaulted at the pizza restaurant. After calling for backup, the officer went to investigate. 

"Several people have been identified as victims in this assault," RCMP Const. Gord Molendyk stated in a press release. "The assault appears to be the result of comments relating to the men and their man purses. The investigation into the assault has led to the point where the police are asking those present for more answers about the assault and the people involved."

The officers at the scene learned that there were as many as 15 people in the area at the time of the assault.

"Police have only spoken to a few of them so far…" Molendyk says. "This assault has left one man with permanent injuries."

Mounties would like to talk to anyone in the area that evening or who may have witnessed the assault.