IIO Deploys to Officer-Involved Shooting (2016-232)

Case: 2016-232 Incident Date: December 19, 2016 Agency: Municipal Location: Vancouver Detachment: Vancouver Police Department Incident Classification: Serious Harm Case Status: Closed - With Public Report

Information Bulletin
Independent Investigations Office
For Immediate Posting

Surrey – The Independent Investigation Office of B.C. has deployed investigators to an officer-involved shooting at 29th Avenue Skytrain Station in Vancouver.

At approximately 8:26 a.m. on Monday, December 19, 2016 Transit Police were responding to a male allegedly wielding a machete. Transit Police cleared civilians from the vicinity and requested backup. Vancouver Police Department officers responded. According to police, the male did not comply with officers’ requests and was subsequently shot. The male has been taken to hospital and his condition at this time is unknown.

IIO Investigators have been deployed to the scene and will be conducting standard tasks including obtaining physical evidence from the scene, interviewing any civilian witnesses and designating and interviewing officers. Transit Police and VPD are responsible for the concurrent investigation.

The focus of the IIO investigation is to determine if any officer may have committed an offence as a result of the injuries suffered by the male.

Any potential witnesses are asked to call the IIO at 1-855-446-8477.

No further information or updates will be provided at this time.

 

Marten Youssef
Acting Director, Public Engagement & Policy
Marten.Youssef@iiobc.ca

 

Background

  • The IIO is an independent civilian oversight agency of the police in British Columbia. It investigates all officer related incidents that result in serious harm or death.
  • In the initial stages of an investigation, the IIO must determine if there is a connection between the serious harm or death and the actions or inactions of police. If there is a connection then the IIO will continue to investigate.
  • If there is no connection between police action or inaction and the serious harm or death then the IIO will release jurisdiction.
  • When the IIO proceeds with an investigation, these investigations end in one of two ways:
    • If the Chief Civilian Director (CCD) of the IIO concludes that an officer may have committed any offence then the CCD will refer this case to Crown counsel for consideration of charges. The IIO does not lay charges.
    • If the CCD concludes that no officer may have committed any offence then a public report will be released on the IIO’s website at www.iiobc.ca. These public reports give an in-depth look at the case and explain the CCD’s rationale for not referring the case to Crown counsel.
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