B.C.’s police watchdog agency is investigating after a man died at East Kootenay Regional Hospital after being taken into custody following a police incident on June 27.
According to the Independent Investigations Office, preliminary information provided by RCMP states that around 9:15 p.m. on June 27, 2026, officers responded to a call about a man on the roof of a building near the intersection of Briar Avenue and 5th Street.
Police arrived and located the man, who was in possession of weapons. Officers then contained the area until the man was eventually arrested, taken into custody and driven to the police detachment.
Shortly after 12 p.m. on June 28, officers observed the man was in medical distress and provided aid.
Fire department members and paramedics arrived and took over before the man was taken by ambulance to a hospital in critical condition.
On June 30, the man was pronounced deceased in the hospital, which prompted the IIO investigation.
The IIO considers two factors when investigating — determining if there has been an injury that meets the threshold of serious harm as defined by the Police Act, or death, as well as if there is a connection between that serious harm or death as a result of officer action or inaction.
The IIO asks that any witnesses who have information, including video recordings regarding this matter to please contact the IIO at the Witness Line toll-free at 1-855-446-8477 or via the contact form on the iiobc.ca website.