Police watchdogs were called out to Langley Wednesday evening to investigate an officer-involved shooting in the Fernridge neighbourhood that has sent two men to hospital.
Details are still sketchy, but the the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. (IIO) confirm members were dispatched to the 2300-block of 200th Street in South Langley, where the main north-south thoroughfare has been shut down, and an obvious multi-jurisdictional investigation is underway.
A Delta Police department NCO was among those on scene, indicating that Delta PD members were involved in the incident at about 6:20 p.m.
IIO confirmed that later Wednesday night.
“Delta officers were conducting an investigation near 200th Street and 24th Avenue. While attempting to arrest two men related to the investigation, shots were fired by police, which struck one of the men. Both men sustained non-life-threatening injuries during the interaction and were transported to a local area hospital for treatment,” an IIO spokesperson said.
The Deltap Police also confirmed involvement, with a press release saying the incident was related to a “serious investigation from the previous week.”
Both men have been arrested, but the investigation is now being handled by the RCMP. The investigation will run concurrently with the IIO investigation, according to the Delta PD.
Witnesses are reporting that undercover police vehicles were seen following a suspect vehicle into the area, the chase concluding out front of a home near the Artful Dodger Pub.
@iiobc is investigating an officer-involved shooting in Langley https://t.co/FqkrhZ2bUZ
— IIOBC (@iiobc) October 8, 2020
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Langley RCMP were also on scene, having closed the road until further notice.
Police have also been seen interviewing multiple witnesses at the scene.
The IIO is asking any person who saw, heard, or recorded the arrest of the man to contact the IIO witness line toll free at 1-855-446-8477 or via the contact form on the iiobc.ca website.
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The IIO is the independent civilian oversight agency of the police in British Columbia. It investigates all officer-related incidents that result in serious harm or death, whether or not there is any allegation of wrongdoing.
IIO was called out to Maple Ridge earlier this week to investigate an RCMP incident where an officer attended a residence and observed a man pushing a motorcycle from the house in question. The officer briefly spoke to the man before he rode away. About 15 minutes later, a motorcycle went off the road on the Golden Ears Bridge on ramp at Lougheed Highway. The rider sustained serious but not life-threatening injuries.
In that case, the IIO is investigating to determine what role, if any, the officers’ actions or inaction may have played in the man’s injuries.
• Stay tuned for more, as it comes available…
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