IIO is seeking Witnesses to an Incident in Nanaimo (2026-031)

Case: 2026-031 Incident Date: February 3, 2026 Detachment: Nanaimo Location: Nanaimo Agency: RCMP Incident Classification: Serious Harm Case Status: Open - Investigation in Progress

INFORMATION BULLETIN
Independent Investigations Office
For Immediate Release

Surrey, B.C. — The Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO) is seeking witnesses to an incident that occurred in Nanaimo on February 2, 2026.

Initial information provided by police states that shortly before 6 p.m., Nanaimo RCMP officers responded to a 911 call about a woman who may have been impaired and was causing a disturbance outside a building on Boxwood Road.

Officers arrived and took the woman into custody before placing her in a police vehicle for transport to RCMP cells.

At around 6:45 p.m., BC Emergency Health Services was called to the Nanaimo RCMP detachment after officials noticed the woman had suffered an injury. Police reported the woman’s injury was the result of self-harm, which may have occurred while she was in the back of the police vehicle.

She was then taken to a hospital for assessment and treatment of her injuries.

The IIO was notified shortly after the incident and began an investigation.

There are two factors that the IIO considers at the beginning of each investigation:

  1. If there has been an injury that meets the threshold of serious harm, as defined by the Police Act, or a death; and
  2. If there is a connection between the serious harm/death and officer action or inaction.

If both conditions are met, the investigation will continue to examine all available evidence to determine what occurred. At the conclusion of the investigation, the chief civilian director will consider whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that an offence may have occurred.

The IIO asks that any witnesses who have information regarding this matter to please contact the IIO at our 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 officers and detention guards in British Columbia. It investigates all incidents involving officers or detention guards that result in serious harm or death, whether or not there is any allegation of wrongdoing.
info@iiobc.ca

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