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Police watchdog investigating Prince Rupert death

IIO looking into death of man nine hours after being released following single-vehicle crash
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The Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO) is in investigating an Oct. 19 incident that occurred in Prince Rupert. (File Photo)

The B.C. Independent Investigations Office (IIO) is investigating the death of a Prince Rupert man who died nine hours after being released from the Prince Rupert detachment following a single-vehicle crash.

“On Oct. 19, 2020, the RCMP notified the IIO that [on] the previous day, Oct. 18, at approximately 10:30 p.m., officers had attended a single-vehicle collision involving a man driving a white pick-up truck at the intersection of Summit and Omineca avenues. The officers conducted an investigation into the collision and transported the man to the Prince Rupert detachment. The man left the detachment at 12:25 a.m. the following morning on Oct. 19,” the IIO said in a statement released today (Nov. 5).

“Later that morning at approximately 9:20 a.m., the man was found deceased in his home.

“The IIO will investigate to determine what role, if any, police actions or inaction played in the death of the man. The BC Coroners Service is also conducting an independent investigation to determine the circumstances of his death.”

The IIO is also asking any person who saw, heard or recorded the incident to contact the IIO Witness Line toll-free at 1-855-446-8477 or via the contact form on the iiobc.ca website.

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.


K-J Millar | Journalist
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