Death of Sydney Mines teen deemed ‘tragic accident’ by Nova Scotia police watchdog

The Nova Scotia police watchdog announced on Thursday that the death of 15-year-old male in Sydney Mines was the result of a tragic accident.

The Serious Incident Response Team (SiRT) report says that Kobe Pink’s body was found by the Cape Breton Regional Police on the shore in Sydney Mines on Jan. 1, 2017.

He had been reported missing by his family on Dec. 28 after he didn’t return home from a gathering of other youths.

Officers with the Cape Breton Regional Police responded to a residence on Peck Street on the night of the party in response to a complaint of the discharge of bear spray by a male inside the home.

READ MORE:  SIRT investigating after body found in Sydney Mines

According to the SiRT report, Pink was hit by some of the bear spray which caused the teenager and his friends to leave the building.

All had been drinking and were underage.

It was at that point that officers drove down the street causing all the boys, except Pink, to flee into a nearby wooded area in an attempt to avoid detection. Instead, Pink ran towards a home with officers giving chase, believing him to be the suspect who had used the bear spray.

Officers searched for a few minutes but were not able to find the 15-year-old.

READ MORE: Cape Breton police investigate suspicious death in Gardiner Mines, N.S.

The house isn’t far from the shoreline, and SiRT’s investigation concluded that Pink fell from the cliff and drowned. The medical examiner confirmed that the teen’s death was caused by drowning.

The report states that there is no evidence pointing to contact between police and the young man with the police being justified in their attempt to catch Pink.

As a result of the investigation, no charges will be filed against the Cape Breton police officers.