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Police oversight agency rules officers not at fault in Under One Roof death

The IIO investigated after a Squamish man in distress died at the housing facility while officers were on the scene.
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After a man experienced a mental health crisis on Nov. 18, there was a significant law enforcement presence at Under One Roof.

Editor's note: this story deals with suicide. Please proceed with caution. If you are in distress, there is help. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, call 1-800-784-2433 (1-800-SUICIDE) or go to the Crisis Intervention and Suicide Prevention Centre of BC site.

B.C.'s police oversight body has concluded in a brief report that officers were not at fault in the death of a man at Squamish's Under One Roof social housing facility last year.

The Independent Investigations Office, or IIO, announced in a news release on Nov. 30, 2022, that the only serious injury — as defined in the Police Act — that the man sustained was self-inflicted.

The IIO is called to investigate cases where interactions with police result in serious harm or death.

"Accordingly, following a review of the evidence, the chief civilian director has determined that the officers are not responsible for the man's injury and subsequent death," reads the announcement.

The IIO investigation is now concluded.

Back on Nov. 18, police responded after a man was reported to be smashing items at a business, the release recounted

Officers later located the person at his residential unit in Under One Roof.

The man was believed to have a weapon and was refusing to leave, prompting police to try and negotiate his exit for several hours.

At the time, the roads surrounding Under One Roof were shut down, and officers in tactical gear surrounded the building.

According to the IIO release, police entered the unit at about 5:15 p.m., shortly after the man stopped responding to officers.

Police found the man suffering from a self-inflicted injury.

Medical assistance was provided, but the man was pronounced dead a short time later, the IIO release said.


 

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