- Wang’s boyfriend called the police to request a wellness check on her on Jan. 20.
- The police then dispatched Const. Lacey Browning to Wang’s residence in Kelowna, British Columbia.
- However, instead of helping Wang during a time of “crisis,” Browning allegedly punched, kicked and dragged her through her building.
- A surveillance video that emerged this week shows Browning dragging a handcuffed Wang before placing a boot on her head and pulling her up by the hair.
- Soon after the incident, Wang took to Instagram to share photos of her injuries and claimed that the police were conjuring a fake story.
- “I was having some mental health issues and a cop came, but instead of taking me straight to the hospital, she stepped on me, kicked me, punched the sh*t out of my face, cuffed and dragged me down the hall and threatened to take my dog away from me,” Wang recalled. “And then they made up a story about how I was addicted to crystal meth and she thought I was trying to hurt her even though I was so weak and couldn’t stand up, let alone fight. I did swear at her and called her some names but none of that warrants a beating — this is straight-up police brutality.”

- In her defense, Browning argued that she used only necessary force to subdue Wang, who allegedly became violent.
- The officer added that at the time of the wellness check, Wang had a box-cutting knife in her hand, as well as cuts on her arm and chest.
- Wang was initially unresponsive but eventually became combative, Browning claimed, forcing her to strike the student “several times with an open palm” until she was put on cuffs.
- In a recent interview with CBC, Wang called the incident “degrading” and explained that some professionals can do better in similar situations.
- “It was so degrading, and at a time when I was so vulnerable, I don’t know why anyone would commit that act of abuse. I just felt so powerless because the police have such a high level of power,” Wang told the outlet. “I definitely believe that the police should not be the only ones to arrive on a wellness check, unless they have extensive training on de-escalation skills and mental health. I think there are a lot better professions who can go ahead and assess a situation, de-escalate and move forward with treatment … a social health worker, a mental health nurse, so many different allied health workers can arrive and perform their duties better because that’s what they’re trained to do.”
- Wang added that she decided to speak out not only for herself but for others in similar situations whose voices cannot be heard.
- “It angered me to know how many people go through this and how their voices aren’t heard. That’s kind of why I’m going out and taking so many interviews because I have this chance to speak publicly about what happened. I’m doing it for me but also for so many people who cannot have their voices heard,” she said.