IIO Seeking Witnesses to Vancouver Arrest (2025-165)

INFORMATION BULLETIN
Independent Investigations Office
For Immediate Release

 Surrey, B.C. — The Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO) is seeking witnesses to the arrest of a man in downtown Vancouver on July 6, 2025.

Information provided by the Vancouver Police Department states, that shortly after 12 a.m., officers responded to a call about man chasing another person with a weapon near the intersection of Helmcken and Seymour streets.

Police were already in the area and arrived shortly after the call.

Officers located one man and moved to detain him. During the interaction, police used a method of less-lethal force and the man suffered injuries. He was arrested and later released at the scene after declining to be taken to the hospital.

The IIO was notified the same day and is now investigating.

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 police 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 also consider whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that an offence may have occurred.

The IIO is asking any witnesses or anyone with video footage of the incident 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 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.

info@iiobc.ca