Police watchdog to investigate after Lumby man found injured while in police custody

A Lumby man who was found to be injured while in police custody earlier this month will be the focus of an investigation.

The Independent Investigations Office said it’s going to look into an incident that started at around 5:22 p.m., Jan. 3, when RCMP officers were called to a report of a suspicious vehicle driven by a man on Bloom Road, in Lumby.

“Upon arrival, officers attempted to stop the vehicle and speak to the driver. The man did not cooperate and attempted to lock himself inside the vehicle,” IIO said in a press release.

“An interaction ensued and the man was arrested.”

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Upon being taken into custody, it was discovered the person suffered a serious injury, which appeared to be self-inflicted, and he was taken to the hospital for treatment.

The IIO was notified shortly after the incident occurred and in a statement, representatives said the initial investigative steps will determine the details of the interaction between the man and police and what role, if any, police action or inaction may have played in the incident.

The IIO said any person with relevant information or video footage of the incident can contact the IIO via the Witness Line toll-free at 1-855-446-8477 or using the contact form on the iiobc.ca website.