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November 29, 2017 - 5:30 PM
KELOWNA – Three officers who responded to a noise complaint prior to a fatal fall from a hotel balcony have been cleared of any wrong-doing.
RCMP responded to the seventh floor of the Best Western Hotel in Kelowna the afternoon of Oct. 14. A release from the Independent Investigations Office of B.C. says a hotel guest was “causing issues” with staff.
The man refused to open the door for police and by the time they got inside the man had fallen to his death.
The independent investigation included statements from ten witnesses, including the victim’s spouse, video recordings and photographs.
The report says the man checked into the room shortly before 4 p.m. and did not request a room on any particular floor.
“Sometime later the guest in the room next to (the victim) heard a man screaming at someone in the hallway,” the report says. “The guest heard (him) calling someone a ‘bitch’ and then the sound of movement up and down the hallway.”
Staff told police the man threw a battery charger at them and he was uncooperative, swore and tried to intimidate them.
When police showed up, the man bolted the door, and police were forced to use a bolt cutter to gain entry. During this time, the man was seen trying to climb to a lower balcony, but lost his balance and fell.
One of the witnesses says the man was hanging from the railing and when he let go.
“The witness said that once (the victim) let go, he had one leg over the balcony and tried to grab hold but the momentum pulled him back towards the outside of the building.”
The report concludes saying none of the three responding officers committed an offence during their interaction and there will be no charges.
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News from © iNFOnews, 2017