Police watchdog investigating man's death after arrest in Burnaby, B.C.
British Columbia's police oversight agency is investigating after a man who was being taken into police custody in Burnaby went into medical distress and later died.
The Independent Investigations Office of B.C. is now seeking witnesses to the July 4 arrest. The police watchdog says it was notified of the death later that day.
Information provided by the Burnaby RCMP indicates officers received a 911 call about a man creating a disturbance and possibly suffering a mental health crisis shortly after 4:30 p.m.
Mounties responded to the 7000 block of Hillview Street in a residential neighbourhood next to Burnaby Lake Regional Park, where they located the man outside a home.
'During the interaction, the man went into medical distress and officers provided aid,' the IIO said in a news release Tuesday. 'He was then taken to the hospital but later died.'
The police oversight agency says it is investigating whether there is a connection between the man's death and the action or inaction of the officers.
'At the conclusion of the investigation, the chief civilian director will also consider whether there are reasonable grounds to believe that an offence may have occurred,' the news release said.
Anyone with information or video related to the incident is urged to call the IIO witness line at 1-855-446-8477 or contact the agency via the iiobc.ca website.
The oversight agency investigates all police-related incidents that result in serious harm or death in B.C., whether or not there is any allegation of wrongdoing by police.
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