The tragic case involving the fatal shooting of an autistic teenager by police officers in Surrey earlier this year has been officially resolved by the Independent Investigations Office (IIO) of BC. The IIO has concluded that the officers involved have been cleared of any wrongdoing.
On February 9, around 2:30 p.m., the 15-year-old teen made a distressing 911 call, claiming to possess a revolver and indicating he was considering self-harm. He also disclosed during the call that he was autistic. Responding to the scene were members from both the Surrey Police Service (SPS) and the RCMP Surrey Provincial Operations Support Unit (SPOSU).
According to B.C.’s police watchdog, upon arrival, the teenager reportedly pointed a weapon, later discovered to be a realistic-looking replica handgun, at the officers multiple times and even at his own head. The police officers repeatedly instructed him to drop the weapon, but the situation escalated.
Following a tense standoff lasting over 20 minutes, two officers made the decision to use lethal force, resulting in the tragic death of the teenager.
The subsequent investigation determined that the police were acting within the boundaries of their duty to apprehend the teen, who was perceived to be in possession of a loaded firearm and a danger to himself in a public area. The IIO emphasized that the officers’ concerns for both their safety and that of the public were legitimate given the circumstances.
The incident occurred in a schoolyard near 188th Street and 70th Avenue, and it was revealed that the boy was a student at Clayton Heights Secondary School. Despite the lack of mandatory training on Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) for police in B.C., the IIO pointed out that there are educational materials available for law enforcement personnel to better understand and respond to individuals with ASD.