No police wrongdoing in Langley shootings that left suspect dead, IIO concludes

B.C.'s police watchdog has concluded that the actions of RCMP were "justified" and "necessary" after a suspect was fatally shot by an officer following a string of shootings in Langley last summer.

In a decision released Thursday, the Independent Investigations Office's chief civilian director Ron MacDonald concluded that there are no reasonable grounds to believe the officer involved committed an offence, and the matter will not be referred to Crown counsel for the consideration of charges.

In the report, MacDonald detailed the incident, which unfolded on July 25, 2022, when 28-year-old shooting suspect Jordan Daniel Goggin was shot and killed by police.

Three people were killed that day — including Goggin — and two more were injured in multiple locations throughout Langley.

Many British Columbians woke up to an emergency alert sent to their cellphones warning of the shootings at approximately 6:20 a.m.

The first shooting occurred in the area of 203A Street near Fraser Highway at around midnight, police said at the time.

At that scene, a woman was found in critical condition.

Officers were then called to a second shooting at approximately 3 a.m., where they found a man dead near Creek Stone Place, a supportive housing complex on 201 Street.

Another man was found dead at the Langley City bus loop near Logan and Glover roads at 5 a.m.

Just before 6 a.m., a fourth victim was found shot in the leg near the Langley Bypass and 200th Street. Shortly after, police engaged with the suspect and shot and killed him.

In its decision Thursday, the IIO said it spoke to seven civilian witnesses, eight police officer witnesses, watched CCTV video, listened to 911 calls and looked at autopsy reports relating to the incident.

It found the subject officer's description of the moments leading up to the death of the suspect – referred to in the report as the "affected person" or AP – to be consistent with reports from witnesses.

"He said 'AP turned his head and looked towards me, raising his pistol and pointing it directly at me in my vehicle, while still moving in the same direction,'" MacDonald writes.

"Fearing for his life, (the subject officer) shot through the windshield of his police vehicle, getting glass fragments in his eyes. He saw AP try to manipulate the gun, and then point it a second time towards him in a shooting stance and shot at AP several more times."

According to the IIO report, medical assistance was provided to Goggin once it was safe to do so, but he was pronounced dead at the scene a short time later.

"The officer placed himself in great danger to limit the threat to the public," MacDonald writes. "The officer should be commended for his actions that day as he put himself in the line of fire to protect the public. His actions that day may have saved many lives, including his own."

The report said Goggin suffered from depression and drug addiction, however, a motive for his actions has not been determined.

An outreach worker previously confirmed to CTV News Vancouver that both of the victims who died during the shootings were living on the street.

"These two are just amazing souls that come get food and get clothes. You chat with them and hear their stories. They become part of your family," Kimberly Snow, who works at Kim'z Angels, said at the time.

In a statement shortly after the shootings, the province's public safety minister and B.C.'s former premier condemned the violence in Langley.

"This senseless act of violence against members of our community is extremely concerning and unacceptable," Mike Farnworth and John Horgan said.

They added that their thoughts were with the victims of what they called "horrific" shootings, and that they understood the concern and fear felt in the community, especially while the motive remained unclear.

With files from CTV Vancouver's Alyse Kotyk.