IIO Concludes Investigation into November 2022 Death in Vancouver (2023-028)
Case: 2023-028 Incident Date: November 14, 2022 Agency: Municipal Location: Vancouver Detachment: Vancouver Police Department 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 investigation 2023-028 into the death of a student in Vancouver.
At 10:00 a.m. on November 14, 2022, police received a 911 call requesting medical assistance for a male student at UBC. The student sadly died in hospital on November 20, 2022.
The IIO commenced an investigation on February 6, 2023 when notified of two missed calls on the deceased’s mobile phone prior to 10:00 a.m. November 14, 2022 from a number displaying as Vancouver Police. The investigation sought to determine if police inaction may have played a role in the death.
The IIO investigation confirmed that the two calls before 10:00 a.m. originated from ECOMM employees who are contracted by the Vancouver Police Department (VPD) but are not VPD employees or police officers. A police officer was not assigned to follow up as there were no indications of distress.
The Chief Civilian Director has reviewed the evidence – including information from ECOMM and police records – and determined that as no police officer was notified prior to 10:00 a.m., police inaction did not contribute to the student’s tragic 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.