IIO Deployment to Surrey for Officer Involved Shooting and Updates on the Investigation Underway in Dawson Creek

INFORMATION BULLETIN
Independent Investigations Office
For Immediate Release

SURREY – The Independent Investigations Office of BC confirms that investigators are on their way to an officer involved shooting that took place earlier this morning.

At approximately 2:30 a.m. this morning, the RCMP received a complaint regarding a suicidal male in the area just outside of the District 5 RCMP office in the 1800 block of 152nd Street in South Surrey.  He appeared to be in significant distress.

According to police, officers who were in the office went outside where the male affected person was subsequently located. There was a physical struggle. The affected person was shot and did not survive his injuries. An RCMP officer sustained a non-life threatening gunshot wound – the circumstances of which are under investigation. The officer was transported to hospital for medical treatment.

The IIO was notified and investigators are en route to the scene. There will be very limited information released at this time.

Dawson Creek – Update to July 16-17, 2015
The IIO confirms that investigators remain in Dawson Creek in response to an officer involved shooting that took place at approximately 630 p.m. on July 16 at in the 500 block of Highway 2 in Dawson Creek. Officers were responding to an earlier and unrelated complaint of a disturbance at a public event when they came into contact with an adult male just outside of Fixx Urban Grill.

According to reports, the male was wearing a mask and had approached officers in an aggressive manner. He did not comply with their directions and was subsequently shot. He did not survive his injuries.

IIO investigators have released the scene. A knife was recovered along with other physical evidence. Several interviews have been conducted with civilians and witness officers. Other investigative tasks include obtaining and reviewing any video evidence from businesses as well as those members of the public who may have been in the area when the incident took place.

The IIO will not be making comment on the number, gender or years of service of any involved officers in the Dawson Creek or Surrey cases nor will the IIO release any identifying information about the two deceased. That remains under the jurisdiction of the BC Coroners Service.

This is the sixth officer-involved shooting that is under investigation by the IIO since April 1, 2015.

  • April 9 – VPD (death)
  • May 13 – Burnaby (serious harm)
  • July 3 –  Salmon Arm (serious harm)
  • July 8 – Port Hardy (death)
  • July 16 – Dawson Creek (death)
  • July 18 – Surrey (death)

Independent Investigations Office
kellie.kilpatrick@iiobc.ca

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