IIO Providing Update to an Incident in Penticton (2026-053)
Case: 2026-053 Incident Date: March 3, 2026 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 providing an update to an incident that occurred on March 3, 2026 in Penticton (IIO 2026-053).
Around 4:30 a.m., RCMP officers responded to a call about a man smashing vehicle windows on Lakeshore Drive.
One officer initially responded and located a man believed to be involved. A physical interaction then occurred as the officer tried to arrest the man.
A second officer later arrived and there was contact between their police vehicle and the man being arrested.
The man suffered serious injuries and was taken by ambulance to a hospital for assessment and treatment.
The first officer also suffered injuries during the initial interaction with the man and was taken to the hospital for assessment and treatment. He was subsequently discharged.
The IIO was notified shortly after the incident and is conducting an investigation.
To date, IIO investigators have conducted interviews with civilians and police officers, gathered relevant evidence, and are currently reviewing third-party reports. The investigation remains ongoing, and investigators continue to examine and assess the evidence collected.
The IIO is asking any person with relevant information or video footage 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 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.