British Columbia’s independent police watchdog has cleared the RCMP in Prince George of wrongdoing in the death of a man in 2024 while in custody. The Independent Investigations Office reported that the man was arrested on November 6, 2024, for public intoxication.
The man became unresponsive while held in a police cell and died in hospital a few days later. The investigation relied on witness testimony and video evidence, which showed the man was resistant while in custody. He reportedly kicked the back of a police vehicle and pushed officers at the station.
Officers pulled the man off a bench and onto the floor. One officer struck him four times while another handcuffed him. He was later taken to the hospital after becoming unresponsive, where he died of cardiac arrest.
The Independent Investigations Office concluded that no officer failed in their duty of care toward the man. The autopsy report found no injuries related to the force used by police at the detention facility.
The investigation confirms that while the man’s behavior was aggressive, the RCMP officers acted within protocol and did not contribute to his death through negligence or excessive force.
