The Independent Investigations Office of British Columbia (IIO) has concluded that a Vancouver Police Department officer did not commit an offense during an incident that left a man with a broken leg.
On the evening of January 25 in downtown Vancouver, officers encountered the man, who later admitted to consuming around 10 alcoholic beverages. Allegedly, the man made inappropriate comments towards one of the officers and was instructed to leave the area.
One of the officers intervened when the man appeared to be preparing to strike the investigating officer. Subsequently, the man was taken to the ground by the officers.
After helping the man up and guiding him in a certain direction, the officers initially attributed his unsteadiness to intoxication and did not suspect any serious injury. However, the man stumbled and fell, revealing a broken leg. Emergency services were called, and upon examination, the man was found to have multiple fractures.
The IIO report indicated that the man’s injuries were accidental, with no evidence of excessive force or intentional harm by the officer. Despite the unfortunate outcome, charges against the officer are not being recommended by the IIO.
The IIO’s role is to investigate incidents involving the police that result in serious injury or death, regardless of allegations of misconduct.