IIO is Investigating an Incident in Williams Lake (2022-167)
Case: 2022-167 Incident Date: July 10, 2022 Agency: RCMP Location: Williams Lake Detachment: Williams Lake Incident Classification: Death Case Status: Open - Investigation in ProgressINFORMATION BULLETIN
Independent Investigations Office
For Immediate Release
Surrey, B.C. – The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of BC is investigating a police-involved incident in Williams Lake where one man has died.
Information from the RCMP states that in the morning on July 10, 2022, police responded to a report of a man alleged to be in distress and in possession of weapons at a residence in the 700-block of 11th Avenue.
Police and members of the Emergency Response Team attended and attempted to engage with the man for several hours. At approximately 12:30 p.m., police entered the residence and found the man to have suffered what appear to be self-inflicted injuries. The man was pronounced deceased at the scene.
The IIO was notified of the incident shortly after it occurred and has commenced an investigation to determine what role, if any, police actions or inactions may have played in the man’s death.
The IIO is asking any person with relevant information of the incident to please contact the 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.
If you are in crisis, help is available:
- Call 310-6789 to be connected to the crisis centre nearest you (no area code required)
- Crisis Services Canada: crisisservicescanada.ca
- British Columbia: crisislines.bc.ca
- Vancouver and surrounding areas: crisiscentre.bc.ca
- Vancouver Island: vicrisis.ca
- VictimLinkBC: 1-800-563-0808