The RCMP has shared new video footage of an arrest in Lac La Biche, hoping to offer more context to a viral social media clip that showed a man being forcefully taken to the ground by an officer on October 1. The man, Dennis Boucher, 44, sustained facial injuries that required stitches before being transported to the Lac La Biche detachment, where he was charged with assaulting a peace officer and resisting arrest.

At a press briefing, Staff Sgt. Greg Stannard from the Eastern Alberta District of the RCMP clarified that the newly released footage shows Boucher had attacked the officer just moments before the portion of the arrest caught on a witness's camera.

"Part of the reason this video is being released is to help the public understand that it was more than just the little piece that originally was seen on Facebook," Stannard explained. The officer had been responding to a complaint at around 2 a.m. that Boucher was causing a disturbance at a family member's residence on the south side of Lac La Biche.

Stannard stated that the police footage shows Boucher becoming aggressive and resisting arrest when the officer attempted to handcuff him near the patrol vehicle.

"The individual initially resisted arrest and attacked the officer, punching and attempting to strike the officer additional times," Stannard told reporters.