More details have been released in the death of a Campbell River man who was shot multiple times last year by police following an incident at a sporting goods store.
In a recent decision, the Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of BC has cleared an RCMP officer of any wrongdoing in the death of a man who was shot three times by police following an alleged robbery.
The incident occurred on April 2nd, 2022, in Campbell River, and the IIO’s investigation has determined that the officer’s actions were justified in response to what appeared to be a lethal threat.
The fatal incident unfolded after Campbell River RCMP responded to a 911 call from the River Sportsman store on the Island Highway. The call reported a robbery in progress where the suspect had stolen knives and a pellet pistol and had made a death threat to a store employee.
Upon arrival at the scene, RCMP officers located the suspect in the Riverside Village parking lot along Park Road.
The IIO’s report indicates the suspect ran towards the officer while pointing the stolen pellet pistol at an officer from close range, prompting the officer to discharge their firearm.
The bullet was later found lodged in the suspects backpack. As the suspect attempted to avoid the officer, they turned around again, pointed the weapon at the officer who then fired a second shot.
The suspect was shot a third time after he fell by a fence a reportedly attempted to reach for the pistol after falling.
The interactions between the officer and the suspect were captured on both motel security cameras and police dashcams.
Officers eventually approached the man, confiscated the pellet gun, and conducted a thorough examination for any injuries or bleeding, but found none. Paramedics also assessed the man and, similar to the officers, found no evidence of gunshot wounds.
As a result, the man was initially cleared for police custody and placed in the back of a police cruiser. When an officer proceeded to formally arrest the man, he was discovered to be unresponsive.
Paramedics transported him to the hospital, where he was pronounced dead. It was subsequently revealed that he had sustained a gunshot wound that had passed through the waistband of his pants, concealing both the injury and any visible blood.
The IIO’s investigation focused on determining whether the officer’s use of lethal force was justified in accordance with the law.
The IIO’s findings reveal that officers, as well as paramedics who assessed the suspect, initially failed to locate any bullet wounds or evidence of injury.
The IIO report has noted that officers “cannot be faulted for not locating the wound, given that paramedics also failed to find it. There is no credible evidence that officers in any way mistreated (the man) once he had been apprehended.”
The key factor in the IIO’s decision to clear the RCMP officer of wrongdoing was the perceived threat posed by the suspect.
The report states, the officer was justified in deploying lethal force against the man, and “in fact he exercised considerable restraint.”
The officer believed that the suspect was armed with a firearm that appeared to be fully functional, and as such, the officer responded to what he perceived as a lethal threat.
The IIO adds the man was within a very short distance when he first pointed the gun at the officer then pursued on foot without firing his weapon until the man turned back and again pointed his pistol.
At the time of the officer’s third shot, the man was on the ground, but was still pointing his gun at police, and it was reasonable for the officer to judge that he still posed a credible risk of grievous bodily harm or death.
As a result of the IIO’s investigation, no charges will be considered against the RCMP officer involved in the incident. The full IIO report on the matter is available for public reference.
