IIO is Seeking Witnesses to an Incident at Skaha Lake in Penticton (2024-191)
Case: 2024-191 Incident Date: August 12, 2024 Location: Penticton Detachment: Penticton Agency: RCMP Incident Classification: Serious Harm Case Status: Open - Investigation in ProgressINFORMATION BULLETIN
Independent Investigations Office
For Immediate Release
Surrey, B.C. — The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of BC is seeking witnesses who may have seen an interaction between a man and police on the beach of Skaha Lake early this morning.
Information provided by the RCMP states that at about 5:10 a.m. yesterday morning (August 12, 2024), police responded to a 911 call alleging that a man was stabbing someone on a beach at the north end of Skaha Lake.
When police arrived, one man was located in possession of a weapon and taken into custody. At this time, it is not believed that anyone was stabbed as was initially reported in the 911 call.
The man sustained injuries while being arrested and was transported to a hospital for treatment.
The IIO was notified shortly after the incident occurred and has commenced an investigation. Initial investigative steps have confirmed that the man’s injuries meet the threshold of serious harm, and further investigation will determine if police actions were necessary, reasonable, and proportionate to the circumstances.
The IIO is asking any person who saw the arrest or who has video footage to please 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.