FILE PHOTO
(KIM ANDERSON / iNFOnews.ca)
December 21, 2020 - 12:17 PM
B.C.'s police watchdog is investigating after an armed shoplifter was injured prior to being taken into custody in Kamloops.
The RCMP confirmed in a media release that the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. is investigating the incident that took place at roughly 8:30 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 19.
Kamloops RCMP were called to a report of a shoplifter at a business in the 300 block of Tranquille Road in Kamloops. An employee had locked the doors to prevent the man from leaving the business.
When police arrived, they found the man had a weapon, RCMP said. Before officers were able to take him into custody, the man was injured with that weapon. Neither RCMP nor the IIO say what kind of weapon the suspect had.
Once in custody, officers provided first aid until ambulance could arrive, which transported him to hospital for treatment, RCMP said.
The IIO will investigate to determine what role, if any, police may have played in the injuries.
Any person who saw, heard or recorded the incident to contact the IIO Witness Line toll-free at 1-855-446-8477 or via the contact form on the iiobc.ca website.
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.
To contact a reporter for this story, email Brie Welton or call (250) 819-3723 or email the editor. You can also submit photos, videos or news tips to the newsroom and be entered to win a monthly prize draw.
We welcome your comments and opinions on our stories but play nice. We won't censor or delete comments unless they contain off-topic statements or links, unnecessary vulgarity, false facts, spam or obviously fake profiles. If you have any concerns about what you see in comments, email the editor in the link above.
News from © iNFOnews, 2020