IIO probes Vancouver police arrest after suspect hospitalized

British Columbia’s civilian police watchdog is probing an arrest by Vancouver police last month during which a suspect was hospitalized.

The incident shaped up shortly before 10 p.m. on Feb. 29, when officers responded to a report of a man damaging vehicles in a parking lot on Alberni Street.

The Independent Investigations Office (IIO) said there was an “interaction” between police and the suspect as they tried to arrest him.

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Paramedics assessed the suspect before transport to the VPD jail, where he subsequently lost consciousness and was taken to hospital.

The IIO said it is investigating what happened leading up to and during the incident, the extent of the man’s injuries and whether police actions played a role.

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The IIO’s mandate is to investigate any police-related incident that result in serious injury or death, regardless of whether there is any allegation of police wrongdoing.

Anyone with information on the incident is asked to contact the IIO at 1-855-446-8477 or via the contact form on the iiobc.ca website.