SURREY — The Surrey-based Independent Investigation Office of B.C. is investigating an in-custody death involving the Surrey RCMP.
Police responded to a call early Wednesday evening from a woman who said a tenant and her guest were screaming and yelling at each other.
Shortly after, the Surrey RCMP learned Emergency Services also received a call about a man who’d taken pills and was yelling and screaming. Three Mounties found a man screaming outside a residence in the 11600-block of 96A Avenue.
Marvel Woodhouse, 53, of Vancouver was arrested, collapsed and was taken to Surrey Memorial Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
The IIO was called in to investigate.
It was set up in September 2012 with the aim of keeping B.C. police officers accountable in cases involving in-custody deaths and serious injuries.
Marten Youssef, spokesman for the IIO, said Woodhouse was “reportedly arrested without incident and subsequently collapsed.”
He said the focus of the IIO’s investigation will be to determine if there’s a connection between Woodhouse’s death “and the actions or inactions of the officers.”
tom.zytaruk@thenownewspaper.com
