B.C.’s civilian police watchdog is investigating after a man died in Vancouver police custody on the Downtown Eastside, Monday.
In a media release, police said they were deployed to reports of a “man acting erratically” near East Hastings Street and Dunlevy Avenue around 8 a.m.
“Following an interaction with police, the man was taken into custody. He then went into medical distress and lost consciousness,” police said.
“Despite life-saving attempts, the man died at the scene.”
Vancouver police spokesperson Sgt. Steve Addison declined to provide additional details about the incident, deferring to the Independent Investigations Office (IIO) investigation.
“We need to trust in the IIO process and the IIO investigation to independently look at all the facts and come to some conclusions,” he said.
Witnesses told Global News the man had been bear sprayed and was screaming in pain and trying to pour milk on himself when police arrived and struck him multiple times with a beanbag gun.
Advocacy group The Vancouver Area Network of Drug Users alleged the man was “killed over spilled milk,” and said it was conducting its own “community investigation” into the death.
The IIO, which probes all serious injuries or deaths following interactions with police, is asking anyone with information about the incident to contact its witness line toll free at 1-855-446-8477 or via the contact form at iiobc.ca.