IIO is Investigating the Death of One Man in Mackenzie (2023-248)
Case: 2023-248 Incident Date: August 15, 2023 Detachment: Mackenzie Location: McLeod Lake Agency: RCMP Incident Classification: Death Case Status: Open - Investigation in ProgressINFORMATION BULLETIN
Independent Investigations Office
For Immediate Release
Surrey, B.C. — The Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO) is investigating an incident in Mackenzie that resulted in the death of one man.
Information provided by RCMP states that during the evening of August 15, 2023, officers, including the Emergency Response Team, deployed to a rural area to follow up on a previous call involving a man in possession of a weapon and uttering threats.
Officers contained the area for a lengthy period of time. At one point, a loud bang was heard. The man was later pronounced deceased at the scene, from what at this point appears to be a self-inflicted injury. It is reported that no members of the RCMP discharged their firearms during the incident.
The IIO has commenced an investigation, and initial investigative steps will seek to confirm the details of what occurred leading up to and during the interaction with police, and what role the officers’ actions or inaction 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.
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