The death of a man in Powell River on Tuesday, January 21, is being investigated by the Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO).
At about 10:40 am on January 21, RCMP responded to a request to check on the wellness of a man living in the 4500 block of Golden Avenue, according to an IIO information bulletin. It is reported that officers spoke to the man, who was not apprehended, before leaving.
Another call regarding the same man was received just before 6 pm, indicating the man was armed, which resulted in police officers and members of the Emergency Response Team attending; the man was pronounced deceased a short time later from what appeared to be a self-inflicted injury, the bulletin stated.
Initial investigative steps will examine what connection, if any, police action or inaction may have played in the man’s death, according to the IIO, which is BC's independent civilian oversight agency of the police that investigates all officer-related incidents resulting in serious harm or death, whether or not there is any allegation of wrongdoing.
The IIO is asking that any witnesses who have not already provided a statement, or who have video footage of the incident, to call its witness line toll-free at 1.855.446.8477 or via the contact form on the iiobc.ca website.
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