IIO finds ‘reasonable grounds’ Vancouver Police officer may have committed offences in DTES fatal shooting

The province’s police oversight agency says a Vancouver Police Department officer may have committed “offences” in relation to a 2022 Downtown Eastside shooting that killed one man.

In a statement Tuesday, the Independent Investigations Office of BC (IIO) shared that it has filed a report with the BC Prosecution Service for consideration of charges relating to the fatal shooting.

The IIO says that during the evening of May 5 of that year, the VPD responded to a complaint from the Patricia Hotel on East Hastings Street.

“There was an interaction between police and the man who was the subject of the complaint. Shots were fired by a police officer, and the man sustained fatal gunshot injuries,” the IIO stated.

The IIO was then called in and began its investigation. The oversight agency is called in anytime there is a death or serious injury of a civilian during or after a police interaction. The independent body then determines what, if any, role police played in the incident.

“Upon completion of the investigation, Interim Chief Civilian Director Sandra J. Hentzen reviewed the evidence and determined that reasonable grounds exist to believe that one officer may have committed offences in relation to the use of force,” the agency stated.

“As a result, and pursuant to Section 38.11 of the Police Act, the IIO has forwarded a report to the BC Prosecution Service for consideration of charges.”

It is now up to the BC Prosecution service to determine whether there is a substantial likelihood of conviction, and whether to approve the charges, the IIO states.

“While the matter is with Crown, the IIO will not be making any additional comment about the facts of this case.”