No evidence slain B.C. RCMP officer or colleagues committed offence, watchdog says
None of the officers who responded to the altercation that led to the death of Const. Shaelyn Yang committed an offence, according to B.C.'s police watchdog.
The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. is tasked with looking into all incidents involving police in the province that result in the death of – or serious injury to – a member of the public, regardless of whether there is any allegation of wrongdoing on the part of police.
The IIO opened an investigation after Yang's death because her alleged killer – a man living in a tent in Burnaby's Broadview Park who she had been called to help city staff speak with – suffered gunshot wounds during the altercation.
On Friday, the office announced that it had concluded the investigation.
"The (chief civilian director) has reviewed the available evidence, including independent witness statements and video footage, and determined that there are no reasonable grounds to believe that any officer has committed an offence," the IIO said in a statement.
"Accordingly, the matter will not be referred to Crown counsel for consideration of charges."
The IIO typically releases written summaries of the incidents it investigates. It didn't do that Friday, because the case against Yang's alleged killer, 37-year-old Jongwon Ham, remains before the courts.
Ham is charged with first-degree murder.
In the days after Yang's death, IIO chief civilian director Ronald J. MacDonald told CTV News the office had been able to obtain surveillance video of the entire altercation from a nearby building.
He said the IIO believed Yang discharged the gun that the suspect was shot with, but was unable to confirm if that happened before or after she was stabbed or how many shots were fired.
"I don't want to go into details for two reasons," MacDonald said at the time. "We still do have to complete our investigation, plus the RCMP have an investigation to do with respect to the individual. It's important, therefore, not to potentially taint either of those investigations or any potential prosecution."
Yang's death left many first responders shaken.
Upwards of 2,000 RCMP officers gathered to attend her funeral in early November, along with nearly as many municipal police officers, paramedics, firefighters and members of the Canadian Armed Forces.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Still so much love between us,' Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau
Sophie Gregoire Trudeau says there is 'still so much love' between her and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, as they navigate their post-separation relationship co-parenting their three children.
What to know about avian influenza in dairy cows and the risk to humans
Why is H5N1, or bird flu, a concern, how does it spread, and is there a vaccine? Here are the answers to some frequently asked questions about avian influenza.
'I was scared': Ontario man's car repossessed after missing two repair loan payments
An Ontario man who took out a loan to pay for auto repairs said his car was repossessed after he missed two payments.
opinion The special relationship between King Charles and the Princess of Wales
Royal commentator Afua Hagan writes that when King Charles recently admitted Catherine to the Order of the Companions of Honour, it not only made history, but it reinforced the strong bond between the King and his beloved daughter-in-law.
Pro-plastic lobbyist presence at UN talks is 'troubling,' say advocates
Environmentalist groups are sounding the alarm about a steep increase in the number of pro-plastic lobbyists at the UN pollution talks taking place this week.
'Too young to have breast cancer': Rates among young Canadian women rising
Breast cancer rates are rising in Canada among women in their 20s, 30s and 40s, according to research by the University of Ottawa (uOttawa).
Charlie Woods, son of Tiger, shoots 81 in U.S. Open qualifier
Charlie Woods failed to advance in a U.S. Open local qualifying event Thursday, shooting a 9-over 81 at Legacy Golf & Tennis Club.
$70M Lotto Max winners kept prize a secret from family for 2 months
During a special winner celebration near their hometown, Doug and Enid shared the story of how they discovered they were holding a Lotto Max ticket worth $70 million and how they kept this huge secret for so long.
Trump's lawyers grill ex-tabloid publisher as 1st week of hush money trial testimony nears a close
After prosecutors' lead witness painted a tawdry portrait of “catch-and-kill” tabloid schemes, defence lawyers in Donald Trump's criminal trial on Friday sought to dig into an account of the former publisher of the National Enquirer and his efforts to protect Trump from negative stories during the 2016 election.