No charges for police in West Kelowna porta-potty shooting

A police officer who shot a suspect in a West Kelowna porta potty last October did not commit a crime, according to findings from the Independent Investigations Office of BC.

The Interim Chief Civilian of the police watchdog said they reached that conclusion after going through video footage, forensic scene analysis, witness statements and police reports related to the  Oct. 18, 2023 shooting.

The details of those pieces of evidence were not, however, shared and will remain that way until the court process that led to the shooting is complete.

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In an earlier report regarding the investigation, the IIO said the incident started around  12:10 p.m. on Oct. 18, 2023 when a firearm was reportedly discharged in the 700-block of Harvey Avenue in Kelowna.

While police were en route, further 911 calls indicated that a man with a weapon departed the area in a vehicle, the IIO said.

The man was then involved in a collision on Olalla Road and subsequently entered a portable toilet on Skyline Road where he was located by police.

“During the interaction that followed, an officer discharged their firearm, and the man sustained a gunshot-related injury,” the IIO said in a press release on Friday.

The man was then transported to a local hospital for treatment. His condition remains unknown.

The IIO is the Independent civilian oversight agency that investigates all officer-related incidents that result in serious harm or death, whether or not there is any allegation of wrongdoing.