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RCMP INVESTIGATING

Mayor files police report alleging assault by Kamloops journalist

Jun 30, 2025 | 2:19 PM

KAMLOOPS — The Mayor of Kamloops has filed a police report alleging that he was assaulted by Castanet Kamloops News Director Tim Petruk over the weekend.

CFJC Today was able to confirm the existence of the police report as Reid Hamer-Jackson provided the file number Monday (June 30) morning.

“The RCMP will be doing an investigation, we will let them do the investigation. I feel that he has assaulted me,” Hamer-Jackson told CFJC.

In a statement, Kamloops RCMP confirmed that it was investigating, but provided few other details.

“Kamloops RCMP received a report of an assault on the morning of June 29, the alleged assault had taken place the evening prior around 10 p.m.. The matter is currently under investigation,” an emailed response from Const. Sofie Winkels said.

Reached for comment, Petruk told CFJC Today that “no assault took place.”

“I patted the mayor on the shoulder while saying goodbye. I’m sure the pub has cameras showing exactly what happened,” Petruk said, in an emailed statement.

Hamer-Jackson told CFJC Today that he feels Petruk has a bias in his reporting.

“You know he’s being doing it for two and a half years behind a keyboard,” said Hamer-Jackson, who claimed he tried to avoid Petruk inside the establishment.

Asked directly if his history with Petruk spurred the decision to file a police report, the mayor agreed.

“Oh definitely. When someone is calling you an idiot and you are the mayor and he has no proof, facts or evidence, definitely,” said Hamer-Jackson. “You don’t go around hitting people in establishments when they are meeting with somebody. Definitely not a friendly.”

“I haven’t heard anything from the police, only from reporters the mayor has been tipping off,” continued Petruk’s statement. “Let’s call this what it is — the mayor is trying to use the city’s police to harass a journalist following coverage critical of his actions.”

“I have no doubt this will prove to be another baseless allegation made by the mayor and another waste of taxpayer resources getting the police to investigate one of his petty grievances.”

Hamer-Jackson told CFJC Today there was no mark left on his back following his encounter.

“Well my back hurts, but my back will hurt sometimes,” he said. “I didn’t check my back, I didn’t look at my back. It was not a friendly whack on the back or hit on the back it wasn’t sincere at all. I mean again we can go back and look at the history.”