WARNING: This article contains video that contains disturbing content.
The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of British Columbia has officially concluded its investigation into a police shooting incident that occurred earlier this year in Duncan.
The IIO determined that the man who was shot by the police during the incident did not sustain “serious harm” as defined by the Police Act, thereby bringing the investigation to a close.
The incident in question took place on May 12th when a video surfaced on social media, capturing a dramatic confrontation between a suspect and police outside the Duncan/North Cowichan RCMP detachment.
The incident unfolded when a police cruiser was rammed by a suspect vehicle, leading to an RCMP officer and the male suspect being injured.
According to reports, at around 6:30 a.m. that morning, a North Cowichan/Duncan RCMP officer was conducting a routine vehicle check in the police parking lot when the suspect drove into the employee lot and struck the police vehicle.
This collision sent the police cruiser over an embankment and resulted in injuries to the officer.
In response to the collision, a second officer nearby discharged his firearm at the suspect vehicle, striking the driver.
In a video obtained by Victoria Buzz, the moment is captured when the suspect, standing near a black SUV that was crushed against the RCMP vehicle, is shot by the officer as he takes steps away from the police vehicle.
The suspect is seen falling to the ground before the video ends.
Both the injured RCMP officer and the suspect were transported to hospital with injuries initially believed to be non-life threatening.
The IIO is tasked with reviewing police-related incidents that involve serious harm or death. However, after a thorough investigation into this particular incident, the IIO concluded that the man who was shot did not sustain “serious harm” as defined by the Police Act.
The decision was based on video recordings of the incident as well as medical records, which indicated that the man had sustained a single gunshot injury. As a result, the IIO determined that the incident did not meet the criteria for their mandate, and the investigation has now been officially closed.
Despite the IIO’s decision to conclude its investigation, many questions surrounding the incident remain unanswered. It is still unclear why the man chose to crash his vehicle into the police cruiser in the first place.
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