No evidence of wrongdoing by police found in IIO investigation of Dawson Creek death

The article below discusses potentially distressing content including self-harm and violence involving police officers, and could be upsetting to some readers.

DAWSON CREEK, B.C. — Investigators say police officers did not commit any offences during an incident in November of 2023 that saw one person dead from a self-inflicted gunshot wound.

According to a report from the Independent Investigations Office (IIO), the province’s police watchdog agency, on the evening of November 18th, 2023, Dawson Creek police officers engaged with what the IIO calls the “affected person” (AP) who died during the incident.

Members of the RCMP Emergency Response Team (ERT) also attended the scene.

“Between November 16th and 18th, 2023, police were looking for the AP in the Dawson Creek area,” the report reads.

“There were warrants for his arrest for several firearms-related offences, including a recent allegation that he had threatened and chased someone while pointing a loaded firearm.”

The AP was reportedly found at a Dawson Creek residence on the 18th, and officers had received information indicating he had a loaded shotgun and said he “was not going back to jail”. 

Three women were also in the residence with the AP, and police officers expressed concern for their safety. Officers reportedly “challenged” the AP when he opened the front door of the residence at roughly 11:45 p.m. He then retreated inside and closed the door.

“Police negotiators then began a lengthy series of telephone conversations with the AP,” the report says, “attempting to de-escalate the situation and persuade the AP to surrender peacefully.

“These attempts were not successful, and the AP indicated repeatedly that he would rather die than go with police.”

All three women inside the residence were able to exit, with officers helping two of them leave through a back window at roughly 1:00 a.m., and the third exiting several hours later at 4:00 a.m.

Soon after the third woman left, the AP reportedly fired his shotgun at police officers, with an ERT officer returning fire. 

“Over the next few hours, in conversations with police negotiators, the AP requested food and was told that there was food waiting for him outside if he would come out,” the report says. 

“At 7:10 a.m., the AP told a police negotiator that he had readied the firearm to harm himself.”

Following that, officers attempted to use noise and chemicals inserted into the residence to distract the AP. 

At 8:04 a.m., he reportedly told police he was coming out, but officers then heard “a loud sound like a gunshot”.

Officers attempted to send a drone into the residence to investigate the inside of the house, but couldn’t deploy one until 9:20 a.m. due to “technical issues”.

“Finally, at 9:20 a.m., a police drone was successfully inserted into the home and the AP was seen, apparently deceased,” the report reads. “ERT medics then entered and confirmed that the AP had died, with evidence of a self-inflicted injury.”

An autopsy later confirmed that he had died from a self-inflicted shotgun wound, with no other contributing cause of death.

The IIO says the officers involved in the incident were acting lawfully as they attempted to arrest the AP, and says there is “no evidence that any act or omission by any officer” led to his death.

“Police properly attempted over a lengthy period to bring the incident to a peaceful conclusion,” the agency’s conclusion reads, “and took appropriate steps to safeguard uninvolved civilians.”

The IIO also spotlit the use of noise and chemicals to distract the AP as “reasonable”, since officers had waited until it was clear the AP would otherwise wait indefinitely before leaving the residence.

As such, IIO chief civilian director Jessica Berglund says she does not believe there are “reasonable grounds” to believe offices committed any offences, and as such, the matter won’t be referred to Crown counsel.