IIO is Investigating an Incident in Penticton (2020-235)
Case: 2020-235 Incident Date: September 22, 2020 Location: Penticton Detachment: Penticton Agency: RCMP Incident Classification: Serious Harm Case Status: Closed - Without Public ReportINFORMATION BULLETIN
Independent Investigations Office
For Immediate Release
Surrey, B.C. – The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of BC is investigating an incident in Penticton.
Information provided by the RCMP indicates that on September 21, 2020 at approximately 7:10 p.m., police attended a call in the 90-block of Okanagan Avenue East regarding a man in a resident’s yard. When police arrived and located the man, he was reportedly unable to care for himself. The man was arrested and transported to RCMP detachment cells.
The following morning around 3:45 a.m., it was reported that the man fell from a sitting position and appeared to be in medical distress. Emergency Health Services attended and the man was transported to hospital where he was found to be suffering serious injuries.
The IIO is investigating to determine what role, if any, the officers’ actions or inaction may have played in the serious harm of the man.
The IIO is asking any person who saw, heard or recorded the arrest of the man to contact the IIO Witness Line toll free at 1-855-446-8477 or via the contact form on the iiobc.ca website.
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.