IIO investigating Fernie death after earlier police interaction
An Independent Investigations Office of BC investigator is shown beside an agency vehicle in an IIO stock photo. The image does not depict the Fernie investigation.
Photo credit: Independent Investigations Office of BC
FERNIE — British Columbia’s police watchdog is investigating the death of a man found in the Elk River in July after learning he had interacted with police before his death.
The Independent Investigations Office of BC announced the investigation Sept. 29. According to the agency, Elk Valley RCMP were called July 11 after a member of the public found an unresponsive man in the river in Fernie. Officers located the man, who was declared dead.
The man had previously been reported missing on June 20. The BC Coroners Service reported his death to the IIO on July 14, and the agency subsequently confirmed that he had an earlier interaction with police.
The IIO has not disclosed when that police interaction occurred or what it involved. Its case page lists June 20 as the incident date, but its bulletin does not say the interaction happened that day. The man has not been publicly identified by the IIO.
The case remains open and under investigation. The IIO said investigators have identified witnesses, collected evidence and conducted interviews. Evidence analysis is continuing and further interviews are expected.
The IIO investigates incidents involving police officers or detention guards that result in death or serious harm when there may be a connection to an officer’s action or inaction. An IIO investigation does not mean police wrongdoing has been established.
For an investigation to continue, the agency considers whether a death or qualifying serious harm occurred and whether there is a connection to officer action or inaction. At the end of an investigation, the IIO’s chief civilian director determines whether there are reasonable grounds to believe an offence may have occurred.
Anyone with information about the Fernie case can contact the IIO witness line at 1-855-446-8477 or use the contact form on the agency’s website.
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