UPDATE: 7:20 p.m.

Penticton RCMP confirmed early Thursday evening that they are investigating a violent assault that has been linked to a vehicle fire in the city.

Police said they responded to an incident above Government Street on Wednesday night just after 9 p.m. Witnesses reported that a male had been brutally assaulted and struck by the fleeing suspect vehicle.

"The victim, a 42-year-old Penticton resident, was transported to hospital with serious injuries but is expected to recover," the RCMP said in their news release.

Shortly after the assault took place, police were called out to a fully involved vehicle fire. The Ford F350 was engulfed in flames on Dartmouth Drive near Grouse Place.

Police said investigators believe the burning vehicle is connected to the earlier assault.

“The investigation into this incident remains ongoing, and we want to ensure the public that based on initial findings, there is no immediate risk to public safety,” Supt. Beth McAndie of the Penticton RCMP said

“Our investigators will continue to work diligently to identify suspects in this case”.

Anyone with any information regarding this incident is asked to call the Penticton RCMP at 250-492-4300 or to remain anonymous, call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS (8477).

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UPDATE: 12:30 p.m.

A Penticton family is questioning the safety of their neighbourhood after allegedly witnessing a brutal assault Wednesday night, during which they claimed to have seen a man beaten, run over by a truck and left on the road to bleed.

Sean Peters, a resident of the so-called "K-streets" above Government Street, said he heard a strange noise around 9 p.m. and had poked his head out to see what was going on.

"I looked outside and I [saw] a gentleman on the side of the road, and didn't really think anything of it," he said, adding that he had turned around to walk back when he heard another noise.

"All of a sudden, a truck appeared, and two guys jumped out of the truck completely covered up. They had ski masks on and everything, and they came running over to the guy and just started literally beating the s*** out of him."

"Next thing you know, he was on the ground, and they were still punching him and kicking him."

From there, Peters said he witnessed the masked people start dragging the victim towards the truck, trying to get him up to push him inside the vehicle.

"He was a bit heavier set, so they obviously couldn't get him in [the truck]. They ended up jumping into the truck and sped off," Peters recounted.

"And as they sped off, they ran over him," he added, saying he believes it was "intentional."

The truck then did a loop of the street and came back. Peters said the two masked individuals checked to see if the injured man was still on the ground before speeding off from the scene.

At this point, Peters was already on the phone with 911.

Joined by one of his neighbours, Peters went to stay with the victim until emergency crews arrived.

"He was still coherent and everything but he was pretty mangled. You can definitely tell he got beaten pretty good," he said.

Peters spoke with police to give them his witness account and help answer any questions. He said he is still shocked.

"It was kind of one of those things that you never really expect to happen on your street," he said. "It's kind of like something out of a movie."

He added that it has made him question the safety of the area.

"Is this an actual safe space for me to raise my kids and a safe spot for my family without us having to look over our shoulders? We kind of just sit there and wonder, 'Okay, well, this just happened. What else could possibly happen here?'" he said.

"My kids play in the front yard all the time, they're running around the yard and doing their thing and this incident happened, just after nine o'clock. Quite early, to be honest."

Peters said he was told by police that the truck used in the assault matched the description of one that was stolen from Summerland, which matched the description of one burned in a fire behind Penticton's Dartmouth Drive shortly after the assault.

Penticton RCMP have not confirmed any of these details. Castanet expects a news release from RCMP with more details on the incident soon.

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ORIGINAL: 10 a.m.

Police had a busy night in Penticton, responding to a reported assault and a truck fire.

Witnesses first took to social media to report heavy police presence in the King Street area near the IGA parking lot, allegedly due to an assault.

Early Thursday morning, Castanet witnessed RCMP in that area on King Street knocking on doors.

Also Wednesday night, a truck was completely destroyed in a fire behind Penticton's Dartmouth Drive.

Witness Dan Brazinha said he saw the fire behind his cul-de-sac around 9:45 p.m., hearing a couple of explosions while he was taking pictures.

He added that a large police presence attended the area after.

Castanet has reached out to the RCMP and the Penticton Fire Department for more information.