The province’s police watchdog is investigating after a man suffered a serious injury during a recent arrest in Delta.
A press release issued Tuesday (Dec. 5) by the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. states that, according to information provided by the Delta Police Department, officers were called to reports of a stabbing near an elementary school on Ladner Trunk Road at about 4:23 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 22.
Police located the affected person nearby and attempted to arrest him when a chase ensued. The IIO release states the man suffered a serious injury while being taken into custody by several DPD officers and was taken to a nearby hospital.
The IIO was notified of the incident at around 7:56 p.m. that same day.
“Initial investigative steps will seek to confirm the details of the arrest itself, and whether any force used during the interaction was reasonable, necessary and justified under the circumstances,” reads the IIO release.
The Delta Police Department is conducting its own concurrent criminal investigation into the stabbing.
The IIO is asking anyone with relevant information or video footage of the incident to contact its witness line toll-free at 1-855-446-8477 or via the contact form at iiobc.ca.
The Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia is a civilian oversight agency tasked with investigating all police-related incidents resulting in serious harm or death, “whether or not there is any allegation of wrongdoing.”
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