B.C.’s civilian police watchdog is investigating the circumstances surrounding the discovery of a man’s body south of Parksville.
According to the Independent Investigations Office, a witness called police around noon on Sunday to say he’d seen a man lying in a bush near a trail on Little Mountain.
The RCMP deployed officers but were not able to locate anyone.
The same witness returned to the trail the following morning and found the body in the same place, and called authorities again.
Police and paramedics responded and confirmed the man was dead.
The IIO is now investigating to confirm details around the initial police search, how the man died, and whether police action or inaction were contributing factors.
The IIO’s mandate is to investigate all police-involved incidents resulting in serious injury or death, regardless of whether or not there is an allegation of wrongdoing.