IIO Concludes Investigation into a Death in Elk Valley (2022-032)
Case: 2022-032 Incident Date: February 25, 2022 Location: Elk Valley Detachment: Elk Valley Agency: RCMP Incident Classification: Death Case Status: Closed - Without Public ReportINFORMATION BULLETIN
Independent Investigations Office
For Immediate Release
Surrey, B.C. – The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of BC has concluded an investigation into a death in Elk Valley.
As detailed in the previous release, at about 1:50 p.m. local time on February 25, 2022, police responded to a 911 call requesting assistance from a man in the 900-block of Alpine Way.
Witness evidence confirms that when the officers arrived, the doors were locked, and officers attempted to get the man to come to the door to speak to them.
A short time later, the officers said they heard a loud noise and asked paramedics, who had been staged nearby, to come to the home. Despite immediate medical assistance, the man was pronounced dead on the scene.
The Chief Civilian Director has reviewed the evidence – including statements of paramedic and police witnesses, medical information, and a scene examination – and determined that police actions did not cause the death. The evidence supports that the man was going down the stairs, likely to speak with the officers, when he fell down the stairs and suffered the tragic injuries that resulted in his death. The IIO investigation is now concluded.
Background
The IIO is the independent civilian oversight agency of the police in British Columbia. It investigates all officer-related incidents that result in serious harm or death, whether or not there is any allegation of wrongdoing.