IIO is Investigating the Death of One Man in Parksville (2024-074)
Case: 2024-074 Incident Date: March 25, 2024 Detachment: Oceanside Location: Parksville Agency: RCMP Incident Classification: Death Case Status: Closed - Without Public ReportINFORMATION BULLETIN
Independent Investigations Office
For Immediate Release
Surrey, B.C. — The Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO) is investigating the circumstances surrounding the discovery of a deceased man in Parksville on March 25, 2024.
Information provided by the RCMP states that police were called around 12:05 p.m. on March 24 after a witness saw a man laying in the brush away from a marked trail near Little Mountain, south of Parksville.
Officers arrived at the location and performed a search but were unable to locate anyone.
At around 11:12 a.m. on March 25, the same witness returned to the area and located the man’s body in the same location as previously reported while walking along a hiking trail.
Police and Emergency Health Services attended the scene and confirmed the man was deceased.
The IIO was notified the same day and has now commenced an investigation.
Initial investigative steps will seek to confirm the details surrounding the initial police search, what caused the man’s death and whether police action or inaction were contributing factors.
The IIO is asking any person with relevant information of the incident, including video 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.