IIO Seeks Witnesses to March 28, 2023 Police-Involved Shooting in Duncan (2023-087)
Case: 2023-087 Incident Date: March 28, 2023 Location: Duncan Detachment: North Cowichan/Duncan 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 of British Columbia is seeking additional witnesses to a police-involved shooting incident that occurred near Evans Park in Duncan on March 28, 2023 at about 9:15 p.m. (IIO 2023-087).
Bystanders called police after observing a man operating a skid-steer near Kimberley Drive and Cowichan Lake Road, and further calls indicate the man continued to travel into the areas of Somenos Road, Hawkes Boulevard, Parkside Place, and Glacier Street. The man then drove through Evans Park where there were collisions between the skid-steer and police vehicles.
The man was shot by police and sustained a serious injury. He has now been released from the hospital and continues to recover at home.
The investigation has revealed video footage showing a man wearing dark shorts and a hoodie was along the sidewalk of Somenos Road and may have witnessed the interaction. The IIO is seeking to identify the man and to speak to him.
The IIO is asking those witnesses that have not already provided a statement, and who observed the incident between 9:00 p.m. and 9:30 p.m., or who has dashcam or other 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.
Incident Summary
Information provided by the RCMP states that in the evening on March 28, 2023, police responded to a report of a man operating construction machinery, a skid-steer loader, in the residential area around Evans Park and nearby Parkside Place in Duncan.
It is reported that there was contact between the loader and police vehicles. An interaction followed, and shots were fired by police.
The man was transported to a hospital for treatment of a serious, life-threatening injury.
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.