Sask. RCMP charge suspect after man beaten in front of 6-year-old daughter

RCMP have arrested and charged a man in connection to an alleged assault where a man was beaten while his six-year-old daughter looked on.

In a statement shared on social media, Colby Tootoosis, 40, said he was approached by three men, one of whom punched him and held him to the ground with his braid while kneeing him in the head.

"I was assaulted, unprovoked, by three white males in the town of Battleford, Saskatchewan," wrote Tootoosis, who is Indigenous.

"My daughter saw the three men walk up to our truck and trailer, she heard the yelling of the male who assaulted me, and she witnessed the blood on my face," Tootoosis said

In a news release, RCMP said Adam Lesmeister, 46, was arrested Tuesday evening.

Police described an incident matching Tootoosis' account involving three unknown males approaching a man, with one subsequently assaulting him.

Tootoosis said one of them began asking him about some "stolen property" and the situation unexpectedly escalated when he was punched in the face.

While only one of the men assaulted him, Tootoosis said the fact there was a group of men added to the threat.

"Being surrounded by a three-versus-one situation, I knew I had to do my best to stay conscious and alert to make it back to my daughter who was waiting in the truck," Tootoosis said.

In his post, he recounted a conversation with his daughter at Battlefords Union Hospital, while his injuries were being assessed.

"She cried hard and said 'I was so brave!' while her mother held her," Tootoosis said.

"She is continuing to process the emotional traumatic distress she experienced over the coming days, and we are holding space for her so she can heal."

Tootoosis said he wanted to publicly share what happened as an encouragement to others who have experienced similar violence.

"So often we hear stories of violence like what happened to me and many Indigenous peoples choose not to speak out or address it."

Lesmeister is charged with assault and is set to appear in North Battleford Provincial Court on Aug. 22.