Surrey Creep Catchers sorry wrong RCMP officer named after ambush

The man behind the Surrey vigilante group that claims to hunt predators by luring them into dates is apologizing to an RCMP officer mistakenly named as a targetafter an ambush this week

"I'd like to apologize to him and his family and hope that he will understand that we are trying to do a public service and thatsometimesthe public gets carried away," reads aFacebookpost.

The group'sWednesday night ambush led to an arrest in Surrey by the RCMP.

"I never said his name ... and I have nowhere posted anywhere [his name] and I have nowhere condoned people posting that name," saidRyan Laforge, president of the Surrey Creep Catcherson Saturday.

Laforgesaid the whole thing was a misunderstanding.

• VIDEO:Surrey RCMP arrest Mountie after Creep Catchers sting

He and other so called pedophile hunters became convinced thatthe suspect was a police officer based on images they say he sent to the "14-year-old" decoy who he'd been connecting with for a week and talking about sex.

On a Facebookvideo of the ambush,Laforgecalls out an officer's first name as he approaches the suspect.

That namewas based on the suspect's Twitter handle, he said.

After the ambush, online supporters of the Surrey Creep Catchers began postingcomments, several claimingto know theRCMPofficer involved.

But the name published in those comments was incorrect.

Laforgesaidthe name he spokeon the Facebook video of the ambushhappens to rhymewith another RCMP officer's real name an officer who had nothing to do with the entire situation.

"The apology is just what any human being would do for someone who was brought into something they are innocent for," said Laforge.

He is also appealingtothe besmirched officer to forgive the group.

"I hope that given what we are doing is to protect the kids I would hope that there would be a little bit of understanding," said Laforge, who urged all followers to stop naming any specific officers.

"It makes us look bad,"Laforgeposted.

Although when asked if he fears the officer tarred unfairly might sue,Laforgeis confident.

"He doesn't really have a leg to stand on. I never said his name once."

No fear of other mistakes, violence

Laforge insists there's no chance they would have hurt the suspect if they had caught up.

"Everybody gets excited and nobody likes to see a bad guy get away ... we are non-violent. I am very confident that nobody would breach it. The only way that anyone would breach it is if there was self-defense on our part," he told CBC Saturday.

In the U.K., targets of vigilante groups have turned on theirconfronters, and in one case an Essexmanwas stabbed to deathby ateenvigilante gang who mistook the innocent father for apedophile.

When asked about similar situations in other countries,Laforgeinsisted those scenarios are not a risk with his group.

He admitted there is always a chance of violence in any confrontation.

"We're dealing with the lowest of the low. We are dealing with just straight slime. Scum. So the chances of any of them getting violent is probably rare and I'm guessing that the outcome of their violence wouldn't turn out in their favour," said Laforge.

Emails handed over

The Surrey Creep Catchers handed over 200emails exchanged between the man they targeted and their decoy to RCMP.

So far police have had no more contact with the group.

Laforge said when they lure a target they make sure to say the age of the decoy female involved.

They reached out to police immediately after the ambush.RCMP responded to the scene.

Suspect officer nowreleased from custody

On Friday, RCMP announced that they had arrested a Mountie and an investigation into child luring and sexual exploitation allegations was ongoing.That officer's name has not been released.

On Saturday,RCMP confirmed he has nowbeen released from custody with a series of conditions as a result of a judicial bail hearing.