IIO investigating case of man hospitalized after declining to wait for ambulance at RCMP detachment
One of B.C.'s police oversight agencies is asking the public for help as it works to determine the severity of the injuries a man suffered over the summer and the extent to which police were responsible for inflicting them.
The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. issued an appeal for information Tuesday in connection to an incident that occurred on Aug. 12, but wasn't brought to its attention until two months later.
That morning, a Ridge Meadows RCMP officer was at a business in the 11800 block of 224 Street in Maple Ridge on "an unrelated matter," the IIO said in a news release.
A loss prevention officer at the business told the officer about a recent theft and pointed out the suspect, who the officer pursued into Memorial Peace Park, according to the IIO.
There, "an interaction" occurred while the man was being taken into custody.
"At about 11:45 a.m., the man was escorted to the Ridge Meadows detachment and an ambulance was called," the IIO release reads. "Around 12:20 p.m., the man was released from police custody. As the ambulance had not yet arrived and the man did not want to wait, it was cancelled."
Later that day, the man was taken to hospital in an ambulance, but he left without being seen by a doctor, the IIO said.
Finally, on Aug. 13, he was taken to hospital again and admitted. This time, he received treatment and left two days later, on Aug. 15, according to the IIO.
"The IIO was notified of the incident on Oct. 15, 2024, after the RCMP became aware the man may have sustained injuries meeting the IIO’s mandate, and the IIO commenced an investigation," the office's release reads.
"Initial steps will seek to confirm the extent of the person’s injuries and whether or not they meet the serious harm threshold, as defined by the Police Act, and if so, whether any force used during the arrest was necessary, proportionate, and reasonable under the circumstances."
The IIO is tasked with investigating all police incidents resulting in death or serious harm to a member of the public in B.C., regardless of whether there is any allegation of wrongdoing on the part of police.
The definition of serious harm in the provincial Police Act is as "injury that may result in death, may cause serious disfigurement or may cause substantial loss or impairment of mobility of the body as a whole or of the function of any limb or organ."
Anyone who witnessed the Aug. 12 arrest and has not already provided a statement is asked to call the IIO witness line at 1-855-446-8477 or use the contact form on the IIO website. The office is also looking for any video of the incident that may be available.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Live U.S. election results: Trump, Harris notch wins in first AP race calls as polls close in several states
As American voters cast their ballots for either Kamala Harris or Donald Trump today, CTVNews.ca has live updates and results from the U.S. election as they come in across the country.
A sharply divided America decides between Trump and Harris
A divided America weighed a stark choice for the nation's future Tuesday as a presidential campaign marked by upheaval and rancor approached its finale.
Who's going to win? The election prediction roundup
Outlets across the United States have been crunching numbers, parsing polls and working their magic models to predict the outcome of Tuesday’s presidential election.
How exit polls work and what they will tell us on election night
Exit polls are a set of surveys that ask voters whom they voted for, as well as additional questions about their political opinions, the factors they considered in the election and their own backgrounds more broadly.
These swing states will likely decide the U.S. presidential election
These swing states will most likely determine the path to the presidency, with candidates needing to win some combination of votes to get them across the 270 mark to secure a majority.
Canada 'deeply concerned' after alleged Russian sabotage plot
The Canadian government says it has raised concerns directly with Russian officials after media reports this week revealed an alleged Russian sabotage operation. The alleged plot included plans to send parcels packed with incendiary devices aboard aircraft destined for Canada and the United States.
Trump campaign denies and revokes journalists' election night credentials after critical coverage
Journalists from multiple news organizations have been denied credentials to former U.S. President Donald Trump’s election night watch event in West Palm Beach, Florida, in retaliation for their coverage of Trump’s campaign.
Trump snaps at reporter when asked about abortion: 'Stop talking about that'
Donald Trump is refusing to say how he voted on Florida's abortion measure -- and getting testy about it.
Tropical Storm Rafael chugs past Jamaica as Cuba prepares for another hurricane hit
Tropical Storm Rafael was chugging past western Jamaica on Tuesday and was expected to strengthen into a hurricane as it headed toward Cuba.